Circus Angel
by SebastianGirl1994
Summary: The circus has come to London for a show, with acts to mesmerise and amaze. But the Queen's Guard Dog has caught a scent, and has been given permission to investigate Noah's Ark Circus. Children have been going missing along the circus's route, and the Queen wants it to stop. Will Ciel Phantomhive and his butler clad in black be able to find the children, or will it be too late?
1. Chapter 1: Circus Comes To Town

_Why is it so hot? Why can't I escape? Help me! Help me! Please, can't someone help me?! I'm scared. Why did you do this to me? What did I do wrong?_

 _The fire spread across my duvet to catch my pillows, my hands now desperately on the window, hitting it as hard as I can to get someone's attention. But people start gathering, and they are watching me. They want to see the show, to see me burn. Can't they see this isn't an act? That something has gone horribly wrong? No, the spectators see nothing, and marvel at how the fire eats my curtains._

 _Please help me! Please! I beg of you! Please…I don't want to die…_

* * *

I open my eyes slowly, the dream still playing behind my eyelids like a film reel on repeat. Blinking doesn't seem to help. I look down at my arms, the dream reminding me how hot they had been. My arms were now unblemished and porcelain coloured, like nothing had ever happened. I flex my fingers, seeing a small scar around my index finger from an accident from last year. You'd never think I had been in a fire But after the dream, I often had to remind myself. I wasn't burning, not anymore. If I let myself remember, I can see the fire licking my skin…burning it away…

I shake my head slowly, not wanting to go back there as I put my hands on my face, feeling the too warm skin. It was probably this train, it had started to overheat a little in the compartments. That was my hope, and I clung to it with all my might. With the stray thoughts cleared from my head, I moved my hands to pull up my legs, wrapping them under me as I grabbed a blanket to keep warm. I must have knocked it off last night. I then wrap my arms around my chest, feeling myself taking in deep breaths of air…of precious air.

I was here, on a train, and not in that house anymore. I need never go there again, because it was a part of my past. I was no longer the girl who lived there…I was free.

I tried to determine how the dream had come into existence as I glanced out the window, seeing fields of green and clover. Beyond it, I could see sheep and what looked like people. Perhaps the dream had played because I was returning to my old hometown. But when I looked out the window, I realised I had never seen London like this before. Maybe we were on the very outskirts, or in a different town altogether right now. How much longer until we were there? The land was too green and I only saw one carriage, and it had been a bit more of a rickshaw than a carriage. We must not be too close then…but you could never really tell.

I was going back to London, after four very long years away. That last trip had not been pleasant, with many things happening to mark it as such. Perhaps this trip would be better…but maybe not. I would be in London for a little over a month before everything was packed and ready to go again. Where would we go next? Maybe someone would tell me soon. I was hoping for Wales…since I could see the cliffs again then. I liked to stand out on their edges and look out at the sea, and realise how small England was, compared to all that was out there. There was so much beyond the ocean…

I shook my head again before deciding to distract myself and found my small bag. I took out the notebook there and some pens, and began checking the records for the circus. We had enough money to start us off, but should we recruit new members, they'd have to make their own keep. There wouldn't be enough food for everyone, so I would visit the farmers' stalls and try and find us something or make a deal for supplies. I then took out a small crude map of our campsite and scrawled down names accordingly. The first tier members got a tent to themselves while the others were expected to share with another or even two if we ran out of space. I came across my assistants' names and put them in separate tents. They never got on, when bunked together. I had made that mistake before, and one of them had nearly lost an eye.

Once everyone had a room, including me, I set that map aside and put together everyone's 'wages'. It was more like pocket money for everyone, given once a week to cover costs they saw as necessary. What they did with this money was of no concern, until they came back to me and told me what they had done with it. I had to keep track of the money so no one could say they lost it. The men hated admitting to me that they had used some of the money to spend a night with the prostitutes. But that was hardly unusual. It happened in every town we visited. I spent my money on other things, sometimes dresses if I could spare change.

I wasn't sure why I had been given such a role with the circus, along with being a performer. I was like…an accountant. I got the same as the others, and sometimes…a little extra to cover my time. But no one knew of it, not even the other first tier members. As far as they were concerned, I got the same pocket money they did, nothing more. I often saved this money and used it for other things…

With all that sorted, I put the notebook away and looked back out the window. It was the only thing I wanted to do, to pass the time. I put one of my hands against the glass of the window, feeling the cold it emitted before I took it away. A print of my hand remained there until it clouded up and faded away, almost as if it had never existed to begin with. Perhaps that was how all things were supposed to be in the end…

"Angel?" a voice asked and I turned slowly to see Christopher Hayden, one of my assistants, standing by the door of my compartment. His flaming red hair was getting longer and some had managed to escape the ponytail he had and got into his eyes. He brushed it aside, but it moved back, as if determined to remain front and centre. A scar ran down his left eye, from an unfortunate incident between him and his partner, when said partner had picked up a bottle and broke it.

"Yes, Crimson?" I answered, and gave him a smile to ease his discomfort. He wasn't used to the name the troupe had given him yet, and didn't like to be reminded of his red hair.

"Is something the matter?" I continued when he said nothing, but looked down at his shoes. He may need new ones while we were here in London.

"Nothing's wrong with me…or anyone really," he said as he lifted his eyes to look at me before pushing his hair back over his ear, "Joker just asked me to let you know there's a meeting happening in half an hour, about this trip and the parade."

"Oh," I replied, surprised Joker hadn't come to see me himself. I didn't say anything else, unable to think of something other than the latest show.

"Angel…have you seen Opal recently?" Crimson asked me, as if testing waters. The question had caught me by surprise, I hadn't expected him to ask me about Opal.

I hadn't seen the man since we got on this train. He had been putting bags in the luggage compartment, and had only taken my luggage as I boarded the train. We hadn't spoken a word, not since the last show. He knew he had done wrong, and I think he knew I expected an apology from him. I had warned him, told him he wouldn't be my assistant again until he apologised.

"No, I haven't," I said to Crimson and he looked perplexed, "why, did something happen to him?"

"He was in the drinks compartment when I was looking for you," he answered.

Opal's real name was William Reddy. He had joined the troupe by chance, his talent being juggling. He could juggle almost anything…so long as he was sober. The sobriety part was not often accomplished by him, and he often made mistakes. One mistake, his most recent one, had been when he had been helping me during my act.

There was a trick I had, one I called Stairway to Heaven. It was one of my favourites, because for a few moments, it was like I was walking on air. The audience thought I was floating when in fact, I was walking on thin glass. It was so thin that no light could reflect on it. It was a staircase that went up about four metres, before levelling out. I would often walk this, circling it before standing in front of a hole. This was cut out so I could fall, and people would think…what happened there? I had been doing this live one day, and Crimson had been wandering below, as I had instructed him to do so. The fall, if I wasn't caught, could cause me serious injury.

Opal…Opal had been away from Crimson, away from me. He was supposed to be waiting there, waiting for me. He had instead been trying to speak to one of the costumers. I had stepped back and fallen through the hole, only for Crimson to catch me…or rather, half of me. He had caught my right side, holding my leg and losing his grip on my back. The rest of me had hit him with a lot of force before I landed on the floor, which resulted in Crimson also getting hurt. My left leg had needed to be repaired as it had shattered from calf to knee…

I had screamed, the pain had been quite a shock to me. Opal had heard me and run over…only to pick up my then sore left side and smile at the audience. He even had the audacity to say, "ta dah!" before Joker cut the lights and I was carried away by him to Doc. I had told Opal not to come near me, that I never wanted him in my act again until he got himself together. The next fall could be my last, if he didn't wise up. Those had been my exact words to him, and when I listened back to them, they sounded cruel and harsh. But it was the truth.

I looked down at the blanket, making out my legs…that were not my legs. I couldn't feel them like a normal person could. Because up to mid-thigh…was prosthetic. I had lost my legs when I had been six years old, and since I was seven, I had been using prosthetic limbs. They were adjusted every year to take into account growth, but Doc had mentioned I didn't seem to be changing…I was the same size I had been since I was thirteen. Maybe a little taller, but I was still the same. Now my legs only needed to be repaired, which reminded me. I had to ask Joker if I could see Doc when we got into London. My legs had been causing me some bother, often locking up while I was walking. There was also a shooting pain when I tried to adjust them, as if a nail was being stuck into my thigh to hold the leg on.

"He's talking about sobering up," Crimson said when I hadn't answered him in some time, "but I'm not sure if he will in the end."

"If he can't…there is nowhere in this circus he can work safely," I whispered, not liking the words as I said them. It was the truth though. What if he was juggling knives, and while drunk, dropped them and hurt a customer? Or if I let him back into my act, what if he dropped me again? It was too dangerous for him to remain at the circus while he was like this.

"Yeah, I guess you're right…" Crimson said as he moved more hair back, "there's no one out there for him."

I knew that already. He had joined the troupe when his wife had left him, taking their daughter with her. He had hoped to travel with us; that perhaps he would find her again. But that had been two years ago, and no Mrs Reddy had been at any of our shows. He had shown us a picture of the woman, and she had looked tired. Maybe she was with family, and returned to her maiden name. We had asked him what it was, and all he could say about it was…

"It began with F…" he said, and he had been on his way to a drunken stupor.

There were many people whose last name began with F, it was hardly an uncommon letter. Her first name had been harder to uncover, and Crimson had only heard it by chance. Opal had been in the drinks compartment and heard him talking to the waiter.

"You know, my wife was like this brandy…" he had said.

"How so, sir?" the waiter had asked.

"Amber…her name was Amber…" he had answered before dropping all conversation to drink.

Opal had joined us from the London area, so she could still be here. Maybe she would come to a show and talk to him, demand he sober up before they got back together. He would leave the circus and have a family. I wanted to hope for that future with him…and didn't want to kick him out on the street. I sighed while I thought all of that.

"He is sorry, you know," Crimson whispered after another long pause.

This made my earlier sympathy turn to annoyance. Couldn't the man apologise for himself without sending Crimson on to me? Couldn't he walk to my compartment and say anything?

"He has to come say it himself," I said coldly, as this had been the seventh time this trip Opal had sent Crimson to apologise for him.

"Why?" Crimson asked, sounding a touch annoyed, as he often did after relaying the message.

"I need to hear him say it, and know he means it," I replied, looking out the window, "I want to know that I can trust him to catch me again."

"That's a load of bull!" Crimson snapped and I looked back at him, surprised by the outburst.

"What?" I asked him, truly confused. He normally nodded and walked off, to tell what I had said to Opal. He never got angry with me.

"You want him down here and grovel for some stupid assistant job!" Crimson snapped, "just accept he's sorry and move on!"

"Crimson…" I said slowly, not wanting him to disturb my companion, who was still asleep across from me.

"You know it's bull!" he continued, "and you keep demanding it!"

"Crimson…you're annoyed. Leave now and find someone else to work with. I don't want to speak to you unless you apologise to me. Don't bother showing up for practise either."

I made those words sound cold, hoping to convey that I didn't like this behaviour of his. He was normally a nice man, only recently turned twenty. I didn't expect him to get angry, he was often happy around us all. But maybe I had missed him bonding with Opal…over a mutual enemy.

"You're kicking me out?!" he demanded, leaning further into the compartment, "because I came here to apologise?!"

"No, because you're angry and acting out. I want you to know that speaking to me like this is not acceptable. Go to the meeting, I'll be there shortly…" I said slowly.

His mouth turned down, clearly annoyed with me before he pushed himself away and towards the dining carriage. He might cool down once we got off this train…and he might not. I now needed two new assistants for my stay in London, which would be difficult.

I put the blanket aside and unfolded my legs to put them on the floor. I wished I could feel the cold wood on the soles of my feet again, but there was nothing I could do about it. I stood slowly, catching the handle above my head to keep my balance. My companion didn't seem to notice as I stood still, my legs having locked out again. This was becoming a frequent occurrence…and that meant I needed to see Doc soon.

I leaned forward slowly and touched my companion's face, hoping to wake her without calling her name. She turned her face towards the palm of my hand, as if to offer herself more comfort. It took a moment before she opened her big blue eyes to look at where I had been sitting, and then travelled over to where I stood. She yawned, displaying all her teeth in what could be classed as almost menacing before licking her lips. She looked back at me as she sat up, wondering what I wanted. She must have been having a nice dream, considering she still looked half asleep.

"Can you push my knees out?" I asked her, pointing to the joint that felt locked.

She yawned again before standing, turning herself awkwardly in the chair to cross to the one behind me. She then moved an arm and pushed carefully against my knee, a practised gesture. I felt the relief almost immediately, and she yawned again as I stepped forward, the sharp pain in my thigh returning. I couldn't do a performance like this, and decided I would see Doc as soon as.

I found my dress and threw it on over my head to cover my corset and short underskirt. I had decided to sleep like that last night, loosening the corset strings a little so I wouldn't hurt my ribs. I tied off the dress and ran my hands through my hair, not sure where my hairbrush was. It would look like I had just woken up, but I didn't care. I found my boots and threw them on over my stockings and looked back at my companion, her eyes still heavy with sleep.

"Come on, Mei, there's a meeting," I whispered to her, "I'll get you a steak if you come with."

Her ears perked up at the sound of steak and looked at the door, now wanting me to move quickly so she could have her breakfast. I was probably spoiling her…but she was my only friend. I could spoil her as I pleased. I opened the door to the compartment and stepped out, only to reach back into my room and grabbing the blanket to wrap around my shoulders. You could really feel the chill out here, and it probably had to do with someone opening all the windows in the corridor. I took to my right towards the dining carriage, Mei following behind me.

Mei took up the whole corridor, her body only barely fitting it. Her eyes stayed on my thighs as we walked, and her tail hit the wooden skirting of the train. Her fur was an amazing white, streaked with black lines that made her more unusual than Betty. Betty was Beast's tiger, the same as Mei was mine. I got to the train's door and opening the dining carriage door for Mei to walk ahead of me, her tail tickling my hand as she passed me.

She found a spare booth and jumped on the chairs before settling herself on the table, her paws overhanging as her tail curled around her. I sat to her right and she put her head down on my hands, as if seeking comfort. I ran my left hand through her fur, feeling the coarseness of it.

"You'll need a trim when we get off at London," I said as I looked to her nails, "and these need to be clipped."

She purred at this and I returned to rubbing her head gently. I was so distracted by her that I didn't notice that someone was sitting opposite me. His hair was almost as white as mine, and snakes curled around him. They curled away from Mei, who had turned to glare at them, licking her lips.

"Hi Snake," I said when I noticed the man.

"Angel, it is nice to see you," he replied, "says Emily."

"It has been a while, says Wilde."

I nodded and looked down the carriage, seeing the other first tiers were standing there. I spotted Crimson by the drinks counter with Opal, the latter's black hair cut short. It had some white shooting through it, announcing his age to the world. But he didn't seem to care, or he was too drunk to notice.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Joker called out, "this is our first meeting in regard to our new show in London!"

"Did it really have to be London?" Doll asked.

"Father wishes to see us perform this time," Joker replied, and the room grew quiet.

Father was a man named Lord Kelvin. He owned the circus we worked for, and earned money as an aside. He didn't come to our shows often, preferring to stay at home since his surgery. That was why he often sent Doc to see us, until he had turned into our circus physician. Now we only received letters from Father, with Joker finding out about the show, and I found out about the finances he was allowing us to use. He lived in London, now that I thought about it.

"Are you sure he'll show, asks Dorian," Snake asked Joker.

"I'm certain he'll be there!" he called out, a smile on his face.

"Is this about the acts again? Are you reorganising them?" Beast asked from her seat by the window.

"No, everyone is perfect the way they are!" Joker replied as he took out his cane and shook it, revealing flowers which he presented to Beast. She sighed and took them from him, holding them to her chest for a moment.

"This meeting is to tell 'ee all that we are nearly in London," he said, "now, if 'ee has a concern in regards to the tents, I'll give the floor to Angel. Angel?"

I stood slowly, Mei watching me in case she needed to knock my legs back, and took a deep breath.

"I have a map drawn up of the campsite, so come to me when we arrive and I'll tell you where you'll be staying. Until they are fully prepared, we will be staying in the performance tent. You will also be given your pocket money on Wednesday, so make sure to see me then. You can ask about roommates when you see the map."

"Thanks Angel," Joker said and he in turn took out a small piece of paper, "now, onto the parade. The circus will open in one week. We had a few problems in relation to permits but Father sorted them out once we were on the train. The tents should be ready by Thursday so be prepared to move your things in then. Now, we need some volunteers. The first tiers will be in the parade, but we need a few of the other tiers to pass out gifts to possible costumers.

"Now, Doll, 'ee will be on the elephant with Beast. There will also be two horses which I am giving to Peter and Wendy. These horses will be pulling a cage with Betty in it. Dagger, 'ee will be to the right of Betty showing your daggers off to the crowd as we walk. Jumbo will be ahead of 'ee, breathing fire for the people. Snake, 'ee will be to the left of Betty, followed by some of the other volunteers."

He looked up at me and gave me a warm smile, and I returned one.

"Angel will be near Jumbo, and if 'ee can control Mei, she can be with 'ee. Perhaps do a routine with the tiger. I will be in front of Doll, calling out to the crowd. But…I don't want to be the only one speaking. Angel, once 'ee is done with your routine, perhaps you can speak to the crowd as well."

I nodded and he returned to planning. This was the first time I had been saying anything to the crowd, and it made my heart flutter slightly. It was exciting, to be getting a bigger role in the parade. Crimson offered to throw beads to the crowd as Opal offered to help him. A girl named Eliza offered to walk on stilts as a man named Kermit offered to walk with her. Once it was all decided, Joker put the map away and looked out the window. It had changed in the last hour, from green pastures to buildings and streets. Carriages had replaced rickshaws and smoke billowed in the skies.

"Welcome to London, everyone," Joker called out with a booming voice.

So I was home after four years. I only hoped...this show went as well as the last one...

* * *

 **Hi everyone, hope you enjoyed the first chapter. The next chapter will be up soon :) Feel free to PM me if you have any questions and please leave a review to let me know what you think :) The next chapter will be up soon so talk to you all then :) XD**


	2. Chapter 2: A Prosthetic Problem

**Hi everyone, hope you liked the previous chapter :) I also hope this chapter helps you to better understand my OC. You'll find out her name in this as well :)**

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I stepped off the train, feeling the sharp pain in my thigh again. The only difference, it wasn't going away. I put my hand on Mei, and she looked up, concern colouring her otherwise clear blue eyes. She then stood close to me, refusing to leave my side. I glanced around the station, and watched as some handymen picked up our luggage. My eyes followed them as they walked out the glass doors towards carriages that Father owned. The doors were opened and our things were stuck inside. They would go ahead of us, and be put in a tent near the entrance for us to collect on Thursday. It was better than what we had originally done, and that had been putting the bags in our unfinished tents. I think Snake had lost one of his companions during a bad storm a few years ago. I think her name had been Cindy…though I wasn't positive.

I tried to walk towards Joker, to ask him about Doc, when the pain shot up another level. I found I couldn't put much weight on my right leg especially, so I limped towards him. I got to him as my legs locked out. Bad timing or what, I thought to myself as Mei ran circles around us, clearly agitated. The man turned to look at me, a smile on his lips as he held out a lantern to me. But I didn't take it, I couldn't walk with him to the campsite when I couldn't even move.

"Angel, are 'ee alright?" he asked before he put his hands on my waist, taking some of the weight off my legs.

"No…no, I'm not," I whispered in reply.

"What is wrong with 'ee?" he asked and I pointed down to my legs.

"They've locked out…and they hurt," I whispered, fighting tears.

"Why didn't 'ee say sooner?" he asked as Mei settled to sit near me.

"It only happened this morning when I woke up," I lied, "I thought it would pass."

He nodded and lifted me up, being careful of my legs and brought me towards one of our porters. The man was young, a year or two older than me. He had short brown hair and deeper brown eyes, something a girl could lose herself in. I was certain that was how he had met his betrothed anyway. She was a nice woman, who worked for us as well. Her name was Megan, and her job focused on the clothes we all wore.

"Harry, will 'ee bring Angel to the tents?" Joker asked as Harry descended from his horse.

"Sure thing, Joker," he replied, "what's up, Angel?"

"My legs," I mumbled and he nodded.

"I'll get you to Doc in a jiffy!" he said brightly as I was hoisted up to sit in front of him on the saddle.

He was handed a leash for Mei who took that with a growl. She didn't like being tied up, not since she was a kitten. Harry held it loosely before handing it to me. It was only to keep her near us as Harry brought me to the campsite. The porter knocked the sides of the horse and we were moving. Mei didn't have a hard time catching up, enjoying the run by the looks of it. I smiled at her, hoping I could do this with her some time while we were in London. Maybe I could search for a field and let her run for a while, at least while I drew.

The trip that would have taken two hours to walk, took Harry fifteen minutes by horse. The gate was open and his betrothed, Megan, stood there waiting for him. Her black hair was tied in a braid and even though I couldn't make out half of her face, I knew her grey eyes were alight with joy. Harry had that effect on her, had since they had first met. I should ask her how that had happened…

"Harry," Megan said, her voice like velvet.

"Megan," he said, giving her a bright smile, "mind helping me with Angel?"

"Oh, hey Angel," she said when she spotted me, "I didn't see you."

"It's alright," I mumbled.

Harry helped me slide down his horse, to Megan's waiting arms. She set me on my feet carefully as Harry tied up his horse and took my weight again. Did I look like I needed the help that badly? Harry lifted me up into his arms as I guided Mei as she followed us, her eyes now focusing on her new home.

"Doc is supposed to be in the tent…third from the bottom, right?" Harry asked me and I nodded.

He walked slowly, and I watched as some workers put up posts for tents. The purple covers for the first tiers were in a box all by themselves. I would have to make sure they didn't need mending. I stopped focusing on that and looked back to Harry, who was staring straight ahead. He was a handsome man, and for a brief moment, I wished I was Megan. I wished someone would be excited to see me, like Mei. But no one would look at me like that…

"See something?" he asked and I looked away quickly.

"No," I replied, blushing.

"Angel…are you alright?" he asked, "and not just your legs. Are you alright?"

"Sure, why wouldn't I be?" I whispered.

"Because you've seemed off lately…I just wondered why," he whispered before stopping in front of a tent, "we're here."

I didn't understand what he meant…had I been acting strangely? I decided to think on it later. I opened the tent so Harry could bring me in, and we saw Doc. He was leaning over a box, his hands on some bottles as he read a list. He was probably making sure he had everything.

"Hey Doc," Harry said and the man turned to look at us. His dark hair was curly and stuck to his shoulder, his eyes hidden behind a pair of glasses. He was wearing his pauper clothes, as we often did when we were travelling. But I knew he had spent the majority of the trip in his compartment. His wheelchair was too awkward to move down the corridor, we had tried it once before. We had only managed to damage the train, get the wheelchair stuck and had to lift the man up to bring him back.

"Harold," he greeted in reply, "and Angel. What a pleasant surprise."

"Angel's legs are causing her some bother," Harry said and Doc's smile changed to a frown.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Not sure. Just got told her legs were hurting her, she needed to be ridden here because she couldn't walk and I was to bring her to you."

"Well, set her down on the cot," Doc ordered and Harry complied.

My legs had gone slightly numb so I wasn't sure what was wrong anymore. Doc looked to me, taking out a light and shining it in my eyes. I blinked it away, and he then caught my wrist to check my pulse. Mei decided to walk in then and sat herself to my left, her head resting on my bed as she licked her lips. That reminded me…

"Harry, can you find my luggage and get Mei a steak?" I asked as Doc moved down to my legs.

"Sure, it was the black one wasn't it?" he asked and I nodded.

He left as Doc touched the bolts near my right knee. I whimpered, not sure why it hurt there. Doc then looked up at me, looking grim.

"Angel, I need to unhook your prosthetics and see what's wrong," he said gently.

"Sure…but be careful," I whispered, closing my eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"I can't really describe what it is exactly. But sometimes when I walk, it feels like there's a nail in my thigh, holding the prosthetic on," I whispered.

"I'll make sure not to hurt you," he said, and he touched my arm and I opened my eyes, "I promise you."

He lifted the skirt of my dress and found the leather strap holding the prosthetics. He then found the belt around my hips which he unbuckled so he could just take my legs off. He went for the left first, unhooking the straps before gently sliding it off. He put it a foot away from me before moving onto the right. This one hurt more, and he was careful. I screamed, the nail feeling was back. Doc cussed as he took the legs away, or rather, he dropped them onto the floor. He lifted the blanket up and pressed it to my bare thigh. Harry had returned, holding a bowl with a steak in it.

"Harold, get me bandages and antiseptic," Doc ordered.

I couldn't understand what was going on, not when Harry froze, dropped the steak in front of Mei and went rummaging. How bad was it? Harry returned and Doc whispered something to him. The man then moved to sit on my left and pressed his hands down onto my shoulders, holding me to the bed. I looked at Harry, certain that fear clouded my eyes. He gave me a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. It made my heart race, and then the pain started. I screamed, a raw agonising sound. I wasn't sure it was entirely human, as Mei started to growl. Thinking Harry was hurting me, she put her face near him, her teeth bared to warn him off.

"Give her your belt!" Doc snapped.

"Why not a sedative?!" Harry demanded.

"Because I haven't unpacked and it could be anywhere!" Doc replied.

Harry leaned away and undid his belt, folded it and put it between my teeth. He then returned to holding down my shoulders and Doc went back to my leg. I bit into the belt, screaming into it. But those screams were soon accompanied by tears, until my voice was hoarse. I stopped screaming, too tired now to keep going. Mei had put a paw on my hand, seeking comfort from me, when all I wanted was to be comforted myself. There was only one person who had been able to comfort me when something was wrong. It was why I wished to be in my aunt's arms. She would know what to do to keep me calm, she would hold me tight, press my face to her chest so I could only hear her heartbeat. She would run her fingers through my hair slowly, soothing me as she whispered to me, silent promises that meant nothing. I wanted her with me now, not Harry. I wanted to smell her perfume, vanilla and soap, and feel welcome and at home. I wanted to see her smile, and know it was just for me.

When I blinked next, I could see her. Her honey blonde hair was loose around her shoulders and her green/gold eyes looked at me. Her smile was warm, and she was wearing her favourite cerulean dress. She put her hands out, wide for a hug before I blinked again and she was gone. She had been gone for some time now, at least twelve years. She had died a few months after my fourth birthday, and I had spent those last few moments with her. I closed my eyes on my surroundings, and felt myself drift off to sleep. Voices spoke around me before I opened my eyes once more, and saw my aunt again. This time, I was four and could run to her.

She opened her arms wide and held onto me, putting my ear to her chest so I could hear her heartbeat. She ran her fingers through my hair, and I blinked again. I wasn't four, I was fifteen. She was still holding me, but not like a child. She was holding me dearly, but not as closely. She ran her hands through my hair and leaned in to whisper in my ear.

"I'm here for you, Vanessa, I always will be," she whispered before she started to hum.

I closed my eyes to focus on the song, feeling the warmth and comfort it could offer as it had twelve years ago. When I opened my eyes, I expected this dream to go on as it had in real life. But no, this time I was lying with my aunt, her bed too big for her. I was wrapped in the blanket and she was holding me close. One hand was touching my head while the other held my waist. I was back in my four year old body…

"Did you have a nightmare, Vanessa?" she asked and I nodded, "well, that isn't allowed now is it?" I shook my head, "what will we do to make the nightmares go away?"

"Milk tea?" I whispered and she opened one eye to look at me.

"I was thinking cocoa…but if you want milk tea…?"

"Cocoa!" I said, my voice a little stronger.

"We better hurry or Henry will go to bed," she whispered before helping me out of bed, taking my hand before wrapping herself in her robe, and then wrapped me in another that was too long for me.

Henry had gone to bed, as it was after midnight. But my aunt didn't mind and went about making hot cocoa for us both. Well, that was what I thought she was doing. She then made too much, enough for four more people before setting out some biscuits. One by one, the servants walked down, yawning. My aunt's maid was the only one with a weapon and looked around before seeing who was in the kitchen.

"Madam?" she asked, putting the folding knife in her pocket.

"Vanessa had a nightmare," my aunt said as she sat beside me in the servants' kitchen, "care to join us?"

The extra cocoa was divided between the four of them. I looked at them all, smiling. They were like my aunt's family when her own had stopped talking to the both of us. My father had only dropped me in her lap when I was born, saying to take care of me because he and my mother had an empire to build. So my aunt had brought me back to her home, and to her servants. Her chef was a man named Henry. Her maid was a woman named Caitlin. Her butler was named Alfred and her gardener/driver was a man named Kenneth. I saw them as her friends as they sipped cocoa, the lines drawn between master and servant firmly removed.

"So, kiddo, what was this nightmare about?" Henry asked, a smile on his lips, "do we need to send Cait here to get it for you?"

"I was alone…" I whispered as I sipped my cocoa.

"Well, kiddo, that isn't going to happen anytime soon," he said before catching my hand, "we all got to stick together!"

"Exactly as Henry said," my aunt said as she caught my other hand, "you won't be alone anytime soon, and we will stick together."

But not long later, I was at a funeral for my aunt. Her servants and I were the only attendees. Two days after that, Caitlin brought me to my parents' house in London, telling them my aunt had died.

"That bitch couldn't hold out until she was eighteen!" my father had snapped at the maid before bringing me into the house.

Those words had hurt me, because for four years, my aunt had been everything to me. She had called in tutors to teach me, sometimes bringing me into town with her so I could meet some of the stall owners. She had made sure I knew she was not my mother, giving me pictures of my parents so I knew she was my aunt. She was my father's youngest and only sister, given me when she was eighteen. She died when she was twenty-two of some unknown heart condition, but one that was said to run on my father's side. On my mother's, were lunatics mostly. With my surviving aunt and uncles either out of the country or in an institution to live out the rest of their days.

I guess, I was destined to work in Noah's Ark Circus. I was destined to become Angel, destined to find a dysfunctional family among the first tier circus members. But a small part of me, reminded me of where I came from. I was from London, my parents were Charles and Amelia Louise. I was their only surviving daughter, Vanessa Reid. I was the only surviving member of the Reid family, the others had died in a fire four years ago. But down on paper, Vanessa died when she was six years old. She was caught in a fire that started in her bedroom, from a lantern that had fallen over. Her body gone with the flames.

That night, no one noticed the girl wrapped in bandages, sitting outside of Whitechapel. Her body was covered in burns, her eyes the only thing untouched. No one noticed her because her father had put her behind a bin, keeping her away from prying eyes. She stayed there until a woman decided to walk down that street. She had food with her, and she sat down beside that girl. She held out a small bread roll and the girl had eaten it slowly, grateful for the food. The woman had then given her water and she had drunk it, feeling full after so long being hungry. The woman had then wrapped her in a shawl and caught her hand.

"Hold on for a little while longer, someone will find you. All you have to do, is hold on," and she had left.

I had waited two more days, finding food hard to come by. The woman's words echoed in my head as a child, and now as a young woman. Hold on, that was all I had to do. That was why I waited, and hoped. That was when Joker had walked down the street, and found me. He had put his coat around me, looking me in my eyes.

"'ee look troubled," he had whispered before taking out his cane, shaking it to reveal flowers, "does 'ee have a home?"

"No," I had croaked.

"Does 'ee want a home?" he had whispered and I had found myself smiling.

"Yes," I had whispered, remembering my aunt, Henry, Caitlin, Alfred and Kenneth, "I want a home…I want a family…"

"Then I'll take 'ee away from this hovel," and he had lifted me carefully and brought me away from London…

I awoke slowly, feeling groggy and stressed. My legs felt warm, and only a little sore. I heard the scratch of a pen on a piece of paper, and looked towards it. I saw Doc's outline, his back to me.

"I'll have to ask him to supply me with more," Doc whispered, his words beyond my understanding, "considering I'll have to use the rest of my supply to repair the damage."

"Doc, I brought 'ee some food," a familiar voice called out.

"Shush, Joker, Angel finally fell asleep," he said as he turned to accept the food, "I can still hear the screaming."

"Were her legs that bad?"

"I'm not sure how it happened, but some of the materials had started coming loose, cutting into her body while she was walking. I'm glad she was brought to me when she was…"

"Mind if I sit with her?" Joker asked.

"Sure," Doc yawned, "I have to make her new legs."

I heard the pen drop and a fork scratch a plate, and someone chewing. My stomach growled as Joker sat beside me, and I turned my head to look at him. He watched me, a smile on his lips when he saw my eyes were open. He put a finger to my nose in greeting before stroking my face. I leaned up into the touch, understanding now why Mei did it. On that thought, where was Mei?

"Where is Angel's Mei?" Joker asked, as if he could read my mind.

"Mei nearly bit Harold, so I had some of the workers put her in her cage. Angel can get her in the morning," Doc replied.

I felt my heart skip a beat. I hadn't been separated from Mei in a very long time, not since I was eight. Joker put his hand down near me, placing my own over it. I ran my finger quickly, like sign language.

 _Find Mei and make sure she's safe. Some of the tier members don't like her…_

 _I will do that for 'ee_

 _Thank you_

I yawned silently before curling myself up a little tighter. Joker kissed my forehead before leaving me to do the task I had asked of him. I closed my eyes and felt the tug of the dream world. I should have asked Joker what time it was…and then I'd know how long I had been asleep. But did it matter? I yawned again before falling away from reality and back to my aunt's embrace…

* * *

** Somewhere else in London… **

I yawned, feeling that I had finally reached my limit for tonight. It had been a long day, one I didn't wish to repeat. I looked down at the plate in front of me, a small piece of cake forgotten about. The door was knocked and I looked up as my butler stepped in, holding a tray in his hands. His smile was bright but something told me he put it on. He set the tray beside me and finished preparing the drink before pouring me a cup of tea.

"Earl Grey?" I asked and he nodded, "do get rid of that flavoured water you bought for our guest."

"Will I leave it in the pantry for other guests?" he asked, casting me a glance while he cleaned up the plate in front of me. As I was watching him, I caught sight of the clock. Was it really only nine right now? It felt closer to ten…

"Leave it then," I muttered as I sipped my tea, "fetch today's paper when you return."

"Very well, young master," my butler replied, putting a hand over his heart and bowed at the waist to me.

I looked towards the door, ignoring Sebastian as he put the plates on the trolley, and thought back to our guest. Brandel had arrived to try and kill me, his motives had been to bring weapons into London via the ports. Lau had mentioned those reasons to me, and told me he wished to see me. He even had the nerve to say the Underworld was his, when it was very much still under my control. The man had cried out when he had seen Sebastian in his true form, not sure what he was seeing. Where he was now, whether it was heaven or hell, was a mystery. Sebastian had probably sent him to hell, but I wasn't sure that was how it worked.

I looked to Sebastian as he went to the door, opened it and walked out with the trolley. Did it matter where Brandel had been sent? He was gone and I had other things to concern me. There was still a murderer roaming the streets of London, and the newspapers had called him Jack the Ripper. It did describe his work…accurately. Sebastian returned with a paper in his hands and showed it to me. I sometimes read the paper before I went to bed, and I saw the headlines. The Ripper was on his second victim, a woman named Annie Chapman. The news continued to say Scotland Yard had arrested a man named Leather Apron. But it wasn't clear if this was the same person. I flipped through the pages, sipping my tea before I saw an advertisement for a circus.

"Noah's Ark Circus, huh?" I said as I looked at the dates.

Circuses were the same no matter where you went. This one would be no different. I only knew it had been set back a week, but the reasons had been unclear. It hadn't interested me to look into it either, as I had no intention of attending. I folded the paper up and set it aside as the door to the dining room opened, revealing our other guests from earlier this evening.

"All finished, my Lord?" the man asked as a girl clung to him tight. She was his step-sister, I believed, though half the time, she didn't act as such.

"And where were _you_?" I asked as Sebastian refilled my teacup.

"Well, you see, someone gave me this…" the man, Lau, stated as he held up a white envelope between his fingers.

I nodded and Sebastian moved to retrieve it, before returning to me with the envelope. It had my title written in a familiar cursive, with a seal on the back…the Queen's.

"It's…who gave this to you?" I asked as I looked back at Lau.

"Some lads in white," he replied, shrugging his shoulders, "they seem to have taken me for a servant."

Sebastian handed me a letter opener and I broke the seal. Inside was a letter neatly folded and behind it was some purple card. I lifted the card up to see two tickets for…Noah's Ark Circus. Why did her Majesty wish for me to attend? I assumed she had given me the second ticket for Sebastian, as we often worked cases together. Maybe she had seen that at the Curry Festival a while ago. I sighed, realising we would have to move to the townhouse…where Prince Soma was with his butler Agni. I suddenly felt too tired, almost drained of life.

"My, my, those are tickets to the travelling circus coming to town," Lau said when I looked at him, "the "Noah's Ark Circus" as I recall."

"Sebastian, arrange for our use of the townhouse," I said, "we will stay there during this case…and the other as well."

"Yes, young master," Sebastian replied, "I will organise it in the morning. Anything else?"

"We won't be leaving until this Sunday, so only inform the…caretaker that we will be arriving," I said through gritted teeth.

"Of course," Sebastian said, smothering a smile.

"I will take my leave, Earl. Tonight has been intriguing," Lau said with a smile.

"Escort the pair of them out, Sebastian," I ordered and the butler nodded before leaving.

I looked back at the envelope, thinking I could read the letter in the morning. Or better yet, I could wait until I was heading down to the townhouse. I could then focus my energy on the Ripper case. But all of that could wait for morning as I finished my tea. I stood and took the envelope with me, yawning as I walked to the door. It opened and I lifted my eyes to see Sebastian, his right hand holding the door above my head. I nodded to him and stepped out, for him to close the door. I would retire now, and have a clear head for tomorrow.

I went to my room where Sebastian helped me to change, putting a candlestick near my bed. He undid my eyepatch and set it down on the bedside table. I blinked, finding I could see a little out of the right eye while my left eye was trained on the door handle. I was put into my bedclothes and Sebastian pulled back my bedsheets for me to get into bed. He put them around me as I went to the middle and dropped my head onto the pillows. I was so tired.

"Goodnight, young master," Sebastian said and the candlelight faded as he closed my bedroom door.

I looked out at the curtains, and saw a small gap was open. I could make out the moon from here, well, a sliver of it. I pulled my blankets a little closer to me, feeling the chill from the evening and wished I had asked Sebastian to light a fire in here. But I decided it was pointless and closed my eyes, counting sheep before I fell asleep. Perhaps I could wrap this case up and the Ripper's together. It would make my life easier…

I fell asleep on that thought…

* * *

 **Okay, second chapter :) Hope you all liked it. About the JTR arc, my story with BoC will run alongside the Ripper Arc. I know this isn't the right timeline according to the manga, but it will make more sense in the next chapter :) Please leave a review and if you have any questions, PM me and I'll do my best to answer them :) Talk to you all soon :)**


	3. Chapter 3: Charity Starts At Home

**Hi everyone, sorry for the long wait. I started the chapter and restarted it at least five times, and the last four were not what I wanted. But this one, I liked how it turned out and I hope you do too :)**

* * *

I woke up the next morning, feeling groggy as hell and after a moment, I started getting annoyed. My dream had been unpleasant, reminding me of all the things I had gone through as a child. So I sat up slowly and turned, ready to stand up and walk out, when the events of yesterday came back to me in blinding clarity. The train, my legs, Harry, Megan, Doc…all of it played for me, holding me still as I tried to comprehend what it meant for me now.

 _"You have no legs," my subconscious whispered to me in a snide voice, "you can't move from this bed…"_

No, I had to be able to leave this bed. I had to be able to do all the things I wanted to. I felt the tears brimming on my eyelashes, threatening to spill over as I wiped them away quickly. I would not cry, I would not let myself. I had to get out of this goddamn bed!

I looked around the tent and saw a spare wheelchair had been assembled at the end of the bed. I crawled over to it, and pulled the handles towards me. It hit the metal of the bed, and I froze as if I had been caught with my hand in the cookie jar. A snore rippled through the tent and I sought it out.

Doc was lying on his desk, his arms buffering his face like a lumpy pillow as he slept. Tools lay scattered around him, along with shards of what looked like porcelain. Two long jagged pipes were rusted on his desk, but they meant nothing to me. I returned my attention to the wheelchair and moved it closer. Once I felt it was close enough, I leaned forward into it, settling myself into the uncomfortable seat and looked around. I spotted a blanket and wrapped it around my waist. I would leave this tent, and not look back. I pushed the wheels forward and out of the small doorway that someone had clipped back.

I felt the chill of the early afternoon on my bare skin as I found a small path and followed it, keeping my eye for ruts that would trap the wheels. It was then I heard a frustrated roar and followed it. It led me to where the handymen put their tools down when they weren't in use. I navigated around them, only wheeling over a hammer as I followed the roar.

The roar was replaced by whimpers as I got closer, paws hitting the hard ground before scratching at it. I edged closer, and saw my friend as she sat down, her tail the only thing able to escape her captivity. From here, it looked like Mei was crying, so I went closer. I wheeled myself to the door and leaned up to unlock it. I pulled back and the door swung open, Mei's ears perking up slowly. She didn't move, however, and kept her face down as if ready to be hit. What had they done to her while I had slept?

"Mei?" I called and the tiger's ears turned in my direction, but she didn't raise her eyes, "hey Mei Day."

The tiger looked to me with one eye, before recognising me. She lifted her head, her eyes looked tearful before she ran to me, circling me in the wheelchair before sitting down in front of me. Her tail swished from one side to the other, her eyes taking me in. I saw myself reflected back, and didn't like the image. I needed a shower…a long one, or even a bath. Mei put her head down on my lap, before half her face hit the wheelchair. She lifted her head to sniff my thighs before realising what was wrong. She leaned closer, so her head rested across my thighs instead and I stroked her face carefully.

"What did they do to you, Mei?" I asked the tigress as she purred for me.

I'm not sure how long we stayed like that, her head in my lap and my hands tracing shapes through her fur. But I heard my name being called and I jumped. Mei's hackles rose before she took a spot in front of me. She looked like a predator, chasing prey so I whistled to her and I wheeled towards a forest path. She followed, casting occasionally glances behind us as I brought us to a small stream.

The sun glinted off the surface, and fish swam through. Stones were polished with algae and flowers bloomed near the water. I couldn't go much further, and wished I could sit in the water, just to feel the warmth it could offer. Mei perked up when she saw what I had brought her to. She looked around before running through the stream towards a small island of trees and bushes. Butterflies flew away from her, and she jumped up to catch them between her paws. She looked almost like a child as I watched her, wishing I had brought my sketchpad so I could draw her.

I watched the fish, hearing Mei as she pounced before she caught another butterfly. Time flied in that small haven, with the sun sinking to mark the time. As the moon rose, the clouds overhead cleared to reveal diamonds, their shimmer something I wished to capture on a dress. Mei walked back to me, shaking herself of water before sitting down. We stayed there, hearing what sounded like crickets, an owl hooted before the haven gained a new glow. Fireflies flew around us, their glow making the haven look incredible. I was stunned that something could be this beautiful, ignoring the butterflies as they floated by on the stream.

"Wow," I whispered as a firefly flew by eyes, a glow formed when I blinked.

I had never seen something as beautiful as this before, not with my parents or my aunt. This was a world of its own, one untouched by people. I looked up to the sky to see the stars as they glittered and the moon which appeared full this evening. How could anything be this beautiful in a place like London? Maybe it was the fact that I had seen the industrial side for too long, that something like this was a dream to me. I stayed there, watching the lights as they twinkled, the water as it lapped the stones and the tigress lay down to put her face near the water. My tent would have access to this, and I could draw it as much as I liked.

"Angel!" a voice called and I looked back, seeing the faint glow of lanterns.

"We had better head back," I whispered to Mei, "we don't want them to find this place."

She purred as I turned away from the haven and back along the path. I snuck out as people walked by and went towards the performance tent. It was there Dagger found me, holding a lantern high that it took away the starlight.

"Angel! We've been looking for you for hours!" he said as Mei took her spot to my right, "where did you go?"

"My tent," I replied, "wanted to see what it looked like. Must have lost track of time," and I gave him a smile as he took control of the handles of the wheelchair. He brought me to the performance tent where Crimson stepped out to smoke. He held the door open for us to walk through, and I saw him glare at Mei before looking to me. Mei moved closer as we stepped out into the stage. The handymen had put up the chandelier that could be dimmed, and the tightrope was also up. Doll would be happy about that, I thought to myself as Dagger applied the brakes. Mei sat beside me, her head on my lap again as I traced shapes on her head. Compared to my little haven, this performance tent seemed dreary. I wanted to bring my haven to life…make it as beautiful as that. Tricks I had done popped up in my head, but none seemed so outstanding.

"Butterflies," I whispered as I looked around, wondering what I could do with them.

Mei licked her lips, telling me she had ideas of what to do with them.I wasn't sure how to incorporate butterflies into my act, but I wanted to have it as part of my outfit. I spotted Megan as she grabbed a blanket for herself and I waved for her. She didn't notice me so I tried to move forward. I couldn't move the wheelchair, and remembered Dagger had braked it. I looked to Mei, the idea for my costume forming in my head.

"Mei, get Megan," I begged the tigress as I pointed to the seamstress.

Mei ran off, weaving herself between the sleeping bags until she had put herself between Megan and Harry. Megan touched Mei's head, laughing before Mei turned, looking in my direction. Megan was laughing before Harry touched one of Mei's legs. Mei roared, silencing the room.

"Megan," I called and the woman looked to me, a smile playing on her lips.

"Oh Angel, I should have known," she said as she followed Mei to walk over to me, "what's up?"

"My costume," I whispered to her, "I want to change it."

"To what?" Megan asked, looking for something to write on.

Harry had followed behind her and held out a notepad and a pen, before Megan handed it to me. I sketched a bodice, tight at the hips until it flared slightly to my feet. I drew butterflies around it, and then added gloves. I drew a foot and drew vines around my ankles, the only thing to decorate my bare feet. But this dress looked common, and didn't possess the parts I wished…

"There's something missing," I said as I held out the notepad to Megan.

"It's better than what you have currently," she said as she tapped the pen to her lips, "you're going for…butterflies?"

"But the dress looks plain with just them on it," I whispered and she nodded.

She put the pen to paper and drew something that would have sat on my left hip. A cage that only covered one thigh but was loose. She then drew circles on it and more butterflies. She altered the skirt a little, making it fuller before giving me sleeves that hung off my shoulders. She wrote lace gloves near where I had put the drawing and then looked to the vines before replacing them with strings of circles.

"Right, there's going to be a cage that hangs off your hip with rhinestones on it, like a spider's web. A few butterflies will be captured within to compliment the dress. The dress will be a little fuller to allow you to change into your second outfit, one to complete the show in. You normally wear heels, but I was thinking to keep the bare feet. Your hair will be loose around your shoulders, like threads of starlight."

"Harry, can you change the bottom of my cage?" I asked and he nodded, "to water?"

I imagined Ophelia in water, and wished to bring that to life in my show. Harry took the notepad and drew a rough bird cage and notes about removing the bottom, but keeping it the same level. You didn't want water to be spilling over the edges so he made it low enough that the dress would float but I could step off it, making it look like I was walking on water.

"Though when you do your finale, the water will have to be gone," he said and I nodded, "maybe we can cover the cage and drain it while you're doing your act."

"I have to start tonight!" Megan said, writing down ideas, "I need to bring this to life."

She ran off to another tent, one that had been built before we arrived to store her supplies. Harry sighed and caught a handyman as he descended a ladder. They walked out, no doubt to talk about the cage which left me where I was…and in all the excitement, I had forgotten to ask someone to undo the brakes.

"Angel? What are 'ee doing?" Joker asked as he entered the tent.

"Can you undo the brakes please?" I asked him and he bent down to undo them, "thanks."

"Shouldn't 'ee be resting? And where was 'ee earlier?"

"I just got caught in some mud," I lied and he nodded, "can you bring me back to Doc's?"

"Why not stay here?" he asked and I looked up at him, "'ee will be safe here."

I didn't want them to see me trying to get out of the wheelchair, but I also didn't want to return to Doc's. It was down to which one I wanted to do less. Joker wheeled me towards the sleeping bags and handed me one as he retrieved another. He brought me to the furthest corner, the barrier lifted up. Mei put herself there and my sleeping bag was rolled out. Joker helped me out of the wheelchair and pushed it aside before putting me into the bag. The blanket was wrapped around my shoulders as I put my head down on Mei's stomach. She turned, putting her head by my elbow and one of her legs across my stomach. I closed my eyes to listen to her heart beat…

* * *

"Angel, it's time for 'ee to wake up!" a voice called out, breaking the spell my dream had cast around me.

I had been in that beautiful haven, the fireflies had flown around me as I stood, decorating me in a dress far finer than any silk. I opened my eyes slowly to see Joker was leaning over me, a plate in his hands. I sat up, pressing my back into Mei who yawned, clearly having had a good dream herself. Joker sat down beside me as I looked over breakfast. It was eggs and some bread, the only thing we had been able to collect before boarding the train.

"Do we need more food?" I asked him and he shrugged his shoulders, "Joker."

"We'll get by until 'ee can go into town," he replied and I sighed, "He had to make the legs from scratch."

I didn't say anything else, wondering what had happened to the legs to make them need to be rebuilt. I ate my breakfast silently, Mei taking some egg off me when I looked to the door. Joker took my plate and I leaned back into Mei, wondering if I could go back to sleep for a little while.

"Angel?" a voice called out and I opened my eyes to see Megan, "are you still here?"

"Over here," I called out and her head turned in my direction.

"Good, I need you to try on a few things for me," she said, "do you mind?"

"No, that's fine…just, give me a moment," I said as I unzipped the sleeping bag.

Megan looked a little shocked when she saw my thighs before she bent down, putting her hands under my arms and helped me up to sit in the wheelchair. She put the blanket around me and led myself and Mei out of the performance tent.

"I knew you had prosthetics…but wow," she said as she angled me towards her tent.

"Yeah," I mumbled, not wanting to talk about it.

"I started the dress last night, got the components together and started stitching. I found a way to make those butterflies shimmer…and I have an idea about your legs."

She opened her tent and brought me in, lifting me up to sit on a stool. She found the underskirt and tied it around my waist and then a corset which she tied over my current dress. But she shook her head and undid it all. She undressed me, bringing me down to an old underskirt. She went through her things and found a new one that she put on me, then the skirt for the dress and then a corset. She tied the ribbons off, making sure my boobs were up and on show.

"The skirt will be flat here," and she pointed to where the ends of my thighs were, "but I can show you that when you have your legs back."

She tied something around my waist with buttons down to my hips that only circled the top of the corset. The corset looked puffed as she tied string at the back, hiding it. She got a mirror and brought it over to me. The corset was the only thing visible at the top with a black waistcoat that had straps, she put them on me and it stopped just past my underarms. It flowed down my sides over the underskirt and I watched as she put my hair down around my shoulders.

"I was thinking this could be the outfit for when you escape the cage," she said, "it's thin enough to hide under your other dress and the other dress will be tied by buttons on the front. When you escape, you'll do your tricks and someone, I could do it for you, will untie the buttons and you'll emerge in this. Like a caterpillar and a butterfly."

I liked it, putting a hand on my waist to get a better look. I looked amazing, and she said she was going to add butterflies on the skirt. She then pulled out some tights, handing them to me. They felt thick, and made of some weird material that looked oddly like skin.

"I was thinking you could wear these," she said, "from a distance, they'll look like normal skin…and you'll be able to go bare foot in them. I was thinking of adding a little sparkle to the sole so when you do the Stairway to Heaven…they'll glow a little. What do you think?"

I held the tights and looked over the dress I was wearing. It looked beautiful, I could see myself in it. With the glow, no one would see the glass and it could add to the mystery. I stayed like that as Megan stitched up loose butterflies which she twisted into my hair, saying, "it could look like they just landed there."

I liked it a lot. She undid the dress and put it on a model, located a clean dress for me. It was a long pink one, loose around my legs and covered by a heavy coat. She then sat down and brushed my hair, giving it a little trim at the bottom.

"You have the longest hair in this whole circus," she whispered as she combed, and I closed my eyes.

We stayed like that as she talked to me about her ideas, and I listened to them all. I heard Joker calling for me and lifted my head to see if he was in the tent. Megan moved to the door and opened it, calling Joker in. He walked in, looking cold as he wrung his hands, his eyes seeking mine.

"Doc finished early," he said, and I stopped breathing for a moment.

"Go," Megan said with a laugh as she pulled the wheelchair up, "go before he goes to sleep."

I nodded as Joker tucked me in and wheeled me away from the seamstress. The path seemed longer tonight, I couldn't contain my excitement. Mei jogged alongside us as Joker navigated the grounds before stopping outside Doc's tent.

"Doc," he called before pulled the door open for me to be wheeled in.

The man was sanding down something, measuring it against a ruler. He looked over his shoulder at us, nodded and went back to work. Joker put me on the bed and I put my hands on either side of me, waiting for Doc to finish.

He sanded down one side, and smiled. He then put the paper away and lifted it up to view against something else.

"Finished," he said before putting two things across his lap and moving away from his desk. He wheeled over to me, and held out my legs for me to see. They were smoother, and I ran my hand along them, down to the toes. He had added a small bit of china to the toes that could be painted, he said if I wanted that. Joker looked over one leg as I looked over the other.

"I've closed up the seals, so try to avoid getting water into them," he said, "these should handle water if it's temporary…but be wary."

I nodded and looked at what was going to hold them to my thighs. I wasn't sure how the system worked. Doc took the leg I was holding and moved up my dress, and attached the leg. He then wrapped a garter style thing around the top of my thigh and attached the straps to hold the leg. He took the other from Joker and did the same, before moving away. They felt sturdy and I shook them, and they didn't seem to detach themselves from me. Joker stood and put his hands out to me. I took a deep breath and pushed myself up, losing balance and landing against Joker. He adjusted me and then helped me walk, until I let go and felt comfortable to do so by myself. I felt giddy, the footsteps making the ground shake a little. I could feel the flat surface up my leg…that it was like I could feel the cold ground.

"That should do for a few months," Doc said as he yawned.

"Thank you!" I said as I walked over and kissed him on his cheeks, "thank you!"

I left the tent with Mei and ran back to Megan, wanting to talk to her about those tights. I picked up the pace slowly before running into her tent, startling her. She jumped, her eyes had been on my new skirt.

"Megan," I said, smiling from ear to ear.

"Angel," she said before looking me over, "you have your legs!"

"Yeah," I said and she put me on a stool and grabbed a measuring tape, "I was wondering about those tights."

"You want to try them out?" and I nodded.

She brought them out again and pushed my dress up to expose the garter. She ran her hand along it before dropping to put the tights over my toes. She put them on slowly, and it turned out they had spots for toes. She moved it up my foot, my calf and when she got to my thigh, she went slower until she had passed the garter. She then got me standing as she finished with my waist. I sat down, the tights felt strange to me. Not normal stockings, and not like my tights for my act. These felt odd.

"Doc and I were working on these," she said as she stepped back, "meant to be like skin."

I ran my fingers over it, and surprised by how realistic it looked. I stood up, and when I looked in the mirror, I looked oddly complete. She measured me then for the other pieces of the dress. Once that was sorted, I decided I would go for a wash.

"Keep them, they're only a prototype, Doc and I need feedback on them," she said and as an afterthought, "they should be water resistant."

I nodded and went to the showers with Mei. Once there, I found I was the only one. I locked the door and undressed slowly, walking towards the tub in the middle that was filled with cool water. I filled a bucket and poured it over my head, closing my eyes in time to feel the water rush over me. I blinked my eyes open and filled another bucket to pour over myself before getting soap and a sponge. I washed my hair first and then my chest. I washed over to the tights, and my arms. I poured water back over me, the chill now entering my bones. I shivered and grabbed a towel to dab my eyes. Once those were clear, I wrapped that towel around me and got some water for Mei. I sponge washed her fur and nails, thinking I'd clip them on Thursday.

She didn't care for the water, but in the end, it cleaned her of any dirt she couldn't clean herself. I finished with her and unlocked the door and stepped out, putting on my house slippers before walking to my tent. It was still under construction but the majority of it was already built. I found a nightdress and changed into it, piling my hair into a braid before towel drying Mei. She shook herself out afterwards and reminded me of an over fluffed sheep. She sneezed as I lead her back to the performance tent. Tomorrow would be a busy day…and with my legs rebuilt, it seemed a little easier to me…

* * *

I woke up early the next morning, grabbed an apple from the lower tiers and put Mei in my tent. The handyman there, a man named Darryl, promised to keep an eye on her, and not to put her in a cage. I had put on a blue dress, my good brown boots, the skin tights, and a black cloak to cover my shoulders. My hair was pulled into a bun at the nape of my neck and I started across the campsite towards London, when Joker stepped into my path.

I dropped my hands that were holding the front of my dress so I could listen to him, without giving the impression that I was in a rush.

"'ee can't go out," he said, and I bit into my apple.

"Why not?" I asked, "We're running out of food and I need to do a few errands."

"Have 'ee forgotten about the murderer?" Joker asked, clearly astonished at my blasé attitude.

"I have more important things to do than worry about some prostitute murderer," I answered back, eating a little more of my apple, "we need food, Joker. Unless you want us to survive on applause and air for the next month?"

"'ee could get hurt," he stated but I shrugged my shoulders, "does 'ee not understand the risk?"

"It's day," I replied, "I'll be back later. You don't need to worry about me."

"But I do," he replied, and for a moment, it looked like his armour was cracking, revealing a frightened man under all that make-up. For a moment, I saw someone who wasn't Joker.

"Look, I'll be as fast as I can. But there are people I need to talk to and they won't be available until dusk. I'll be back by the time the moon rises, I promise you that."

"What's happening over here?" Dagger asked as he sauntered over to us, clearly unsure why Joker looked broken.

"Angel is going into London on her own while there's a murderer loose," Joker summarised.

"Joker doesn't want me going," I continued, "if I got someone to come with me, would that ease your worry?"

He nodded slightly and I looked to Dagger. He looked clueless and it took a few calls of "Dagger!" before he responded to me.

"Hmm?" he asked.

"Will you escort me around town?" I repeated and he looked to Joker.

"Would that be good for you?" and Joker nodded, "perfect, I needed to stretch my legs."

He ran off to another tent, and by my guess, he was going to change clothes. Walking around London or any town required that we wore pauper clothes, or middle class clothes. Circus clothes were not allowed, as people got bad vibes when they saw circus folk. Children had gone missing over the years, clients had been murdered, people died. It was best not to let people see that, and avoid us putting ourselves at risk.

Joker stayed with me until Dagger came out of somewhere, fixing his boots before running over to me. He pulled a coat up and the hood to cover his hair and I nodded. I had a purse on me with a few satchels in it, separating my errands from the circus's. I nodded to Joker and turned to leave, only for something to catch my hand.

"Please…be careful," and I felt something press into my hand, "don't be reckless."

I took my hand back to see a small pistol lay there, six rounds ready. I put it in my purse and nodded before catching Dagger's arm. We started walking, the gates opened by Harry before we were embraced by Londoners. I hoped I didn't need to use that pistol…the thought terrified me. I shook my head of those thoughts and focused on the tasks at hand.

First, we needed food. I brought Dagger to the farmers' market and looked through wares. We needed non-perishable foods and then other treats that could be wrapped and put in buckets of cold water. I found one butcher who offered me a deal on meat.

"This would be for about two months," I said and he nodded, "what can you offer me then?"

He sold me enough small cuts of meat to get us through, eating mostly stews as the meat wasn't good enough for fancier dishes. That was a couple of shilling and he informed me he would deliver them every day to me, for free.

"Can't have a pretty lady carrying cutlets everywhere," he said and gave me a wink.

I smiled at him and put some hair behind my ear, knowing it came off as nervous. I gave him the address for the campsite and he said he would wait for me there. I moved onto vegetables and drinks. Those also got bought, with the drinks vendor getting a nervous giggle. Dagger pretended to be looking through other things so I bought some alcohol for us for tonight. Enough to cover the first tiers at least. I put it into a basket I had liberated and caught Dagger's arm. He jumped when I stopped beside him.

"Is this for her?" a woman behind a counter asked.

"Em…no," Dagger said, sounding nervous.

"What's for who?" I asked but he blocked me.

"Isn't there something else you have to buy?" he asked quickly and I shook my head, "what about flowers? Flowers for my lady…pretty ones! I'll pay you back."

He pushed me a little and I fixed my skirts before looking back at him. That was odd, but I shrugged and went off to find flowers. Once at the florist, I remembered that I should visit my aunt's grave. I picked up some roses for her and some tulips for Beast. They were different colours and tied with ribbon. I put the tulips into the basket and held onto the roses tight. I undid a small ribbon on my sleeve and wrapped it around the stems and waited for Dagger.

He was there twenty minutes later, shoving something into his pocket before catching my arm. He looked flushed, as if he had run all the way to me.

"Are you alright?" I asked and he nodded, "do you want to stop for tea?"

"No, we can hold that off, are those roses for my lady?" he asked, changing the subject.

"No, I got her tulips. These are for my aunt," I said and he nodded.

"You want to see her? Well, where does she live?"

"Well…that's the thing," I whispered as I walked us towards a small church.

"She's a nun?" he asked as I opened the gate and walked towards the church.

I decided to ignore him as I walked around the church and found another gate. I opened it and stepped onto the grassy knoll onto the cemetery. Dagger followed behind me, his eyes on the tombstones as I counted them off in my head. She was in the second last row and fifth from the path. I found what I was looking for and turned onto it.

I dropped to my knees and put the flowers aside to clear some of the debris. I cleared her name until it shimmered in the sunlight.

"Hi Aunt Sabine, it's been a while," I whispered as I put the roses down by a candle, "I think four since I was last in London."

"Angel…whose this?" Dagger asked.

"This is my aunt," I whispered, "she died when I was four."

"Oh," he said as he also dropped to knees and blessed himself, "hello…Miss Reid."

"This is Dagger, Sabine. I think you would have liked him," I said with a smile, "we're in London for the next few months, and I'll visit again soon to clean this place up. Can't believe no one visits you while I'm away."

I then proceeded to tell her about the last four years, including the train recently, my legs, the new tights and the new dress. Once I had caught her up to the present day, I put my hand on her tombstone and sighed.

"I wish you were here," I whispered as Dagger stood, "I miss you."

Dagger helped me to my feet and I brushed down my skirt before giving my aunt another look.

"Goodnight Aunt Sabine, see you soon," and I kissed the tombstone before leaving the cemetery.

"Sorry about your aunt," Dagger said once we were on the road to Whitechapel, "I didn't know she had died."

"Twelve years ago this December," I said.

He held onto my arm as I found a small café. The bell chimed overhead and a stoutly woman walked towards us, her hands clasped in front of her apron. Her hair was black and her lips were overpainted.

"Oh, what a cute couple! Where do you want to sit?" she asked.

"Sorry we're-" Dagger started.

"The window would be lovely, madam. This is our first unchaperoned walk," I said with a nervous giggle.

"Oh my! I'll get you some cakes then," she said as she found a table, cleared it for us and nudged Dagger to pull my chair out for me. He did so with great reluctance and then sat down himself.

"What would you both like to drink?" she asked.

"Some tea would do for me," I said and looked to Dagger, "what do you want to drink?"

"Tea," he replied and she nodded and walked off, "what was that about?"

"Well, from past experiences, talking about no chaperones and first times, people tend to…be more accommodating. We got free cakes," I pointed out to him, "and anyway, she made the mistake."

The cakes were brought over and she told us we had to wait five more minutes for the tea. She then walked off, giving us our space as I took a small pastry to nibble on.

"That is devious," Dagger mumbled as he found a cake.

"How do you think we get decent food for each town," I mumbled and he looked astonished, "a little playful flirting never hurt anyone."

"You could be a business owner with that attitude," he mumbled as our tea was put in front of us.

Dagger poured me a cup and I sipped it, looking out the window as I did. This had been a place my aunt had sometimes brought me to relax after a day of shopping. Shame she wasn't still here, I would have loved to share a cake with her.

"Do the others do this with you?" Dagger asked and I shook my head.

"You're the first," I replied and he looked shocked, "now, is there anything important you need to do, darling?"

"No, I'm free…darling?" he asked and I nodded.

"The woman is looking over here," I replied, "I have errands to do in Whitechapel, do you want to join me?"

"Isn't that where the murderer hunts?" Dagger asked and I nodded, "it's not safe, Angel!"

"I have no other choice," I replied.

"You do! You can forget your errands and go back home," he snapped, catching the attention of the woman.

"I'm not doing that," I replied coldly.

"Well, I'm not staying," he replied and stood abruptly, "see you back home."

He left me there, and I continued to sip my tea. The woman came over and asked if the tea was bad. I shook my head for her benefit.

"He's just got a short temper," I answered softly, "I told him I needed to go to Whitechapel. I'll see him tomorrow so it'll be fine."

I finished the tea and took two cakes for my way out. I paid her and left, nibbling on one cake while holding my basket close. Dagger had acted out of character, even for him. But I shrugged the matter off and started towards Whitechapel.

I got there as the sun was setting, and looked around. Nightwalkers were starting their business and children were running around before their mothers called them home. But a few children sat down on the pavement, their hands in their pockets as their friends faded away. I found a bakery and bought some rolls before returning to the streets. I saw one child, a little boy, was especially down on his luck.

"Here," I whispered and he looked up at me with bright green eyes, "something to eat."

I held a roll out to him and he took it, eating it slowly. Poor thing had probably not had anything to eat in a few days now. I sat down beside him and he watched me. Once he finished one roll, I handed him another.

"What's your name?" I asked him softly.

"Benny," he replied through a mouthful of bread.

"Well, it's nice to meet you Benny, my name is Vanessa," I said and he nodded, "how long have you been out here?"

"Since my mama died," he replied as he licked his hands of crumbs.

"And do you have somewhere to sleep?" I asked and he nodded, "that's always good."

He told me about his friends then, about a game they had made up. He got excited over the smaller things in life before he started yawning. That only slowed him down slightly. I'm not sure how long I sat beside him, but it reminded me of what the woman had done for me. She had only sat to listen, to prompt conversation so I could talk to her. She had fed me, given me water and something warm. I didn't think Benny would appreciate a woman's cloak so I kept the clothing to myself.

"You're nice, missus," he said, "missus…"

"Vanessa," I replied and he nodded, a smile breaking on his lips, "someone will help you soon, just hold on till then, Benny."

"I will!" he said as he stood, "my tummy's full!"

"Then you better go find somewhere to sleep for the night. Hopefully I'll see you again," and he left, waving to me.

"That kid hasn't spoken to a soul in months. You walk over, and he can't stop yammering…interesting," a voice said and I sought it out, finding a woman leaning against a building.

Her dress was ripped and muddy, her hair slightly askew and her eyes a touch dilated. But I could tell she was a prostitute, so I brushed down my skirts and approached her.

"Who are you?" I asked and she gave me an odd smile.

"People call me Alice, you?"

"Vanessa," I replied and she put her hand out to me which I shook.

"Nice to meet you, Vanessa," Alice said simply.

"Could I ask you a question," I asked her and she nodded, "do many children live here? Ones without families?"

"Are you planning on adopting them?" Alice mumbled, making herself laugh.

"No, just helping them like I did with Benny," I replied and she stopped laughing.

"Sure, a fair few since the orphanage caught fire," she said, "burned down a few days after Emma Smith met her maker."

I had read about that, about the prostitute who was attacked by a gang of thugs. She had died the day after from her injuries.

"Could you help me?" I asked and she shrugged her shoulders.

"They only bother me anyways," Alice muttered, "but what you going to do with the information? It would take time out that I really can't afford to miss."

"You want money?" I asked and she nodded, "sure, just so long as you promise to help me."

I took out a satchel from my purse and held it out to her. She opened it slowly, probably expecting something horrible within. But it was only money, money I had saved over the last few weeks.

"There's a pound in there," I said to her, "if you supply me with names, I'll give you two pennies for every name."

"Really?" she asked and I nodded, "sure thing. This more than covers the room for the night. When will I see you again, Vanessa?"

"I can be back on Saturday," I replied and she nodded.

"Perfect, I can meet you up on Hanbury Street for about five. I'm taking over for old Annie and covering her clients. You know number 23 right?"

"I'll find it," I replied and she nodded before picking up her skirts and heading off to work.

"God bless you, Miss Vanessa," and she waved and disappeared through the crowds.

I watched her go and started to realise how dark it had gotten. How long had I been talking to Benny? I tied my cloak tighter around me and followed the street Alice had gone down, finding it to be Commercial Street. It twisted and curved, with very few people on it. I kept up a brave front but my heart was hammering inside my chest. I spotted another woman, her body leaning against Miller's Court. She looked young, her hair flaxen and her eyes were bright. She was either a new girl or good at taking in money.

"You look lost, honey," she called out and pointed to me when I looked at her, "where you going?"

"Around," I replied vaguely, "who are you?"

"Mary Kelly," she said putting her gloved hand out to me, "what about you?"

"Vanessa," I answered and she smiled at me.

"Nice name," she commented, "are you looking for your sweetheart?"

"No…by chance are you a nightwalker?" I asked and she laughed.

"First time a woman's called me that," she said as she wiped her eyes of a few tears, "yeah, gotta earn my keep somewhere."

"I have a favour to ask of you then," and I gave her the story I had given Alice.

"You want to help children?" she asked, "wow. Sure, I'll help."

I gave her the money and the payment I had in mind, she nodded, and caught my hand as I was leaving her. She looked a little anxious, and she was shaking slightly.

"Be careful, Vanessa, the streets aren't nice to people like you at night. Stay in lit places, and be careful. I'd hate to hear that you were the next Emma Smith."

I felt a shiver run up my spine as I nodded to her. I continued onto Hanbury Street where I spotted Alice. She was talking to a customer, leaning in. She glanced over his shoulder and spotted me, before giving me a small wave. I waved back and continued on my way. I passed by number 29 and felt another chill run down my spine. Looking at the building, it looked normal, average even. Two weeks ago, a woman was murdered inside of it. Her murderer was none other than Jack the Ripper, who left behind a leather apron. I think a man had gone by that nickname around here for years, so the police probably thought the killer was getting clumsy. Something told me, the killer was smarter than that.

There was no one outside the building, the police had collected all they wanted from it. I blessed myself as I passed and continued onto Osborn Street, thinking I could cut down into Whitechapel and try my old streets, before I went home. I lifted my skirt and took my turn, spotting that it wasn't well walked…and the lights flickered periodically. There was no shelter down here, and that meant no prostitutes. They wouldn't put themselves in such obvious danger. I took a deep breath and started walking, seeing a light about a hundred metres away that was from a bakery on Whitechapel Road. I felt a chill, almost as if someone was breathing down my neck. I began to feel paranoid that someone was following me.

I found myself running, not sure why until I heard the pitter patter of feet running…and they weren't mine. I looked behind me, and saw a man was chasing me. He was cloaked in shadows and any light that he passed under illuminated a knife in his left hand. I couldn't run any faster, my prosthetics wouldn't let me. A small part of me hoped all he wanted was money, that he was a common thief. Please tell me I hadn't caught the attention of Jack, please tell me I wasn't going to be gutted by a murderer.

I screamed, tears running down my cheeks as I got closer to the light. But as I got closer, my chaser picked up speed. It was at that moment that I tripped, my shoes catching the edges of my dress. My hands went forward, my purse wrapped around my wrist as I was turned over to lie on my back. The man leaned over me, a knife pressed to my throat. He was half hidden in the shadows, his skin was darkened from exposure to the sun. His eyes looked half crazed and he smelled of fish. I wasn't sure why in a moment like this, I focused on that smell. I gulped, feeling the metal of the knife cut into my throat, warm blood pulsed down into my dress's neckline. Oh God no, please tell me I hadn't been too stupid. Why hadn't Dagger stuck around?

"You bitch!" he snapped as he punched me, catching my eye and half of my nose.

He took away the knife as he attacked me, before lifting it again and ripping through my favourite blue dress. He ripped the sleeves, cut some of my skin until he had unveiled my corset. I was hiccupping at this point and the tears wouldn't stop pouring. I closed my eyes, certain I was going to die…but why here? Why me?

"What are you up to there?!" a voice snapped and a lantern was pointed at my attacker.

"Damn!" the man snapped and ran for it, taking my purse which he had cut free from my wrist.

"Miss?" a voice asked and I looked up to see an investigator, "are you alright?"

I couldn't fight the tears that kept pouring, and leaned into the investigator's chest, my hands balled up as he put an arm around my shoulders.

"You're safe now," he whispered to me.

"Will, what happened?" another voice asked.

"This girl was just attacked," Will answered as another lantern shown down the dark street.

"Not old Jacky boy was it?" the other asked.

"He wasn't ripping her, Frank," Will answered, "just a mugging by the looks of it. We better bring her home."

"She might have to see Sir Randall first," Frank said, "make a statement."

Will helped me to my feet, holding me to his chest as I started to stagger. I was so cold, and my body wouldn't stop shaking.

"Looks like the little girl's in shock," Frank said, "I'll bring her basket and follow you both."

Will caught one of my hands and led me slowly out of the street. I was taken to my right and it occurred to me that even if I had made it to this street, there wasn't anyone out here other than two prostitutes. They would have only witnessed my attack and done nothing to prevent it. I was taken out of Whitechapel before Frank moved ahead to open a door. Inside was loud, people were screaming. It made my shaking worse, made my panic levels rise.

"Come on," Will said softly to me as he brought me into an office, but the sound was no better.

"Where is Sir Randall?" Frank asked as he walked over to a cabinet, putting my basket down on the desk and retrieving a bottle of scotch and a glass.

"He's probably talking to Abberline," Will muttered as the scotch was poured and the glass was put into my hands.

"Drink up, sweetie," Frank said slowly to me, "it'll take the edge off."

Will got up and got a heavy blanket from a bed to wrap around my shoulders. I was starting to get tired and looked down at the drink.

"Why me?" I croaked, raising one hand to rub my eyes.

"It happens around Whitechapel nowadays," Frank said as he found a chair to sit in, "why were you alone?"

"That was probably a stupid idea to begin with. And why were you out on the streets at all? You don't look like a nightwalker."

"My friend left me at a café," I whispered, "and I'm not a prostitute."

"Then what were you doing?"

"I was trying to help some of the orphan children," I whispered, "feed them and talk to them."

"Why?"

"Because I was like them when I was younger," I whispered, "I know what it feels like to be without food and water."

"So you help them…does it have to be at night?" Frank asked.

"I was only establishing contacts tonight," I whispered and lifted the glass to my lips.

My hand was shaking as I swallowed a mouthful of the contents and put the glass down on my lap. It burned my throat, making me gag but it did take the edge off things. I was starting to feel things behind the shock…my face for one thing.

"Who were your contacts?" Will asked.

"A woman named Alice and another named Mary Kelly," I whispered and they looked between them.

"Prostitutes?" and I nodded, "wow, you've got some balls talking to Alice McKenzie!"

"She started the conversation," I mumbled and they smiled.

"You screwed up again, Abberline! I'll have you monitor the filing room from now on!" another voice snapped as the door of the office opened and two people walked in.

The man who walked ahead had mutton chops and screamed 'authority figure' long before he turned to see the little group around me.

"What's some nightwalker doing in my office?" he demanded and I flinched at the force of his words.

"She's not a prostitute," Frank stated simply, "she was attacked earlier on her way to Whitechapel Road."

"Why did you bring her here?" the man demanded.

"To give a statement, sir," Will answered.

"Hi there," the other man said, and he looked oddly familiar, "my name's Fred Abberline, what about you?"

"Vanessa," I whispered and he dropped to his hunches near me, and smiled.

"Nice to meet you, Vanessa," he said, "were you alone when you were attacked?"

I nodded and Frank, Will and the other man watched me.

"Did you catch sight of the person who attacked you?" Abberline asked.

"He had dark skin," I whispered, "like he worked a lot in the sun. His eyes were…crazy, like he was desperate. And…he smelled like fish, rotten fish at that…everything else is just a blur…"

"Did he have a weapon on him?"

"A knife," I whispered and arched my neck, feeling the pull of healing skin, "he put it to my throat at first and then just…just…"

Abberline took the glass from me as I hunched over and started crying. I wasn't able to hold it in any longer. The shock was still coursing through my system but it was the fact that I had been attacked. I had been so sure that I was going to die. I had been terrified that I had cross paths with Jack, that he would think I was another prostitute.

"Shush now, you're safe," Abberline whispered to me, "he won't hurt you in here."

"That description was rather weak," the man stated, but I didn't care.

"Not really, sir. Considering she was attacked, she may have been more concerned about other matters, than catching a glimpse of him. She was also on Osborn Street, and the lights never work there."

"I tried running away," I croaked as Abberline rubbed my back carefully.

"Then you were aiming for Whitechapel Road, for the light," Will said softly and I nodded.

"How old are you?" Abberline asked.

"Fifteen," I cried and he looked to the others.

"I didn't realise she was that young," Frank whispered.

They let me cry after that, helping me to drink the end of my scotch before wrapping me tighter in the blanket. It was still dark out, and I wondered how I was supposed to get home. I wanted to see Joker, Mei…I wanted to know I was safe.

"Who's going to bring her home?" Will asked.

"I'll bring her," Abberline said, "you have to go back to patrolling."

"Yeah," and he and Frank left the office.

"Come on, I'll bring you home now," Abberline said calmly.

"My basket…" I whispered and he looked to the desk where one sat.

The bottle of alcoholhad remained intact. The tulips were scattered and ripped apart so I threw those in the bin. There was nothing else so Abberline took the blanket off me and put a coat around me instead. He held my waist as he brought me to a carriage and got me inside it. He collected the reins and started our journey out of the station.

"Where do you live?" he asked and I told him the address, "that's where the new circus is supposed to be."

"Yeah," I whispered as I felt the cold through the coat.

The trip was silent as Abberline guided the horse through different routes until I saw the gates. Joker was walking out of them, Dagger stood at the gate, looking annoyed but scared. It then occurred to me, I had told Joker I would be back once the moon had risen, and that must have been hours ago.

"Joker!" I called out but he didn't hear me.

I stumbled out of the stationary carriage and after him, before catching his sleeve. He turned, curious to see who had caught him when he saw me.

"Angel!" he said as he wrapped his arms tight around me, "'ee had me worried."

"Joker," I croaked before crying into his coat.

"Hi, I'm Fred Abberline," someone said over my shoulder, "this is her basket. Figured I'd bring her home. You're safe here, Vanessa."

I nodded as Joker shook hands with Abberline and the horse was moved on. Joker put his arm around my waist, my basket it in his other hand. He felt so warm and solid next to me, and I felt secure in his embrace.

"Angel!" Dagger called out, "I was stupid to leave, you could have gotten…hurt…?"

Joker closed the gates and brought me to Doc. Dagger followed behind, trying to get a good look at me. But Joker shielded me and stepped into the tent slowly. Doc was eating dinner, and glanced up.

"Joker, what can I… Angel?" he asked as Joker put me down on the bed, "what happened?"

"I was so scared," I whispered as Joker held my hands, "I thought I was going to die."

"Were you attacked?" Doc asked as he forgot his food to come closer.

I nodded as he touched my face carefully. My right eye was starting to close all on its own, which worried me.

"You have a black eye," he said as he touched my right eye, "and your nose is most likely broken. Your attacker broke skin across your cheeks…there's a cut on your neck and some of your chest. What happened?"

"I was walking down a street, thinking it would bring me home faster when I heard footsteps," I whispered, "and I started running. But I couldn't run very fast and I tripped. Next thing, he was leaning over me, holding a knife to my throat and hit me…then a patrolman called out and the man took my purse…"

"I thought…I thought it was the murderer…I was so scared…" I cried and Joker held me close.

"'ee is here now," he whispered, "'ee is safe."

I nodded, knowing the words were true. Doc fixed my nose, bandaged it up tight and cleaned my other cuts and grazes. He then had Joker take off the remains of my dress and the coat until I was in my underclothes. The coat was put back on me, and the smell of vanilla and roses rose up. Who owned this coat? I wrapped up tight in it as Joker put me to bed in Doc's tent.

"I'll keep an eye on her tonight," Doc said softly as I felt myself falling into a dream.

"I'll bring breakfast for 'ee in the morning," Joker replied and looked out the tent, "mind if Mei stays with her as well?"

"After the night she's had? She might need it," and the bed depressed before the tigress lay next to me on the bed mirroring mine. She put a paw carefully on my arm and whimpered before nudging me with her face. Her whiskers grazed my skin, raising goosebumps and that made me smile. I was here in the circus with my tigress. I closed my eyes and cuddled in close to her, resting my head on her shoulder. She put her head along mine, giving me comfort.

I fell asleep then, and begged my subconscious not to relive those few moments again. Instead, I was treated to the haven from earlier, of Mei and the butterflies….and of the water lapping across my feet, which weren't prosthetics in my dream…

* * *

The next day, I opened the door slowly. I held it as Joker slipped in behind me, dressed in pauper clothes and his hands were covered in gloves. His hair was hidden by a cap as I had worn my pauper clothes as well. A loose grey dress that stopped just below my knee showed my favourite boots and the skin tights. They had been repaired by Megan that morning.

I held the coat in my hands as I ventured closer to the main desk of the police station. A man sat behind it, and looked up at me as I cleared my throat. Joker stood near me, giving me some protection.

"What can I do for you, miss?" he asked softly.

"I'm looking for Fred Abberline," I said and he nodded.

"I'll fetch him for you immediately."

The man moved away from his desk and started up the stairs. He came down a few minutes later with a tired Abberline behind him.

"Did you catch a name?" Abberline asked as he looked around before his eyes found mine, "Vanessa?"

"Hi," I replied and lifted up the coat, "I came to return this to you. And to thank you again for bringing me home."

He stepped closer and took the coat, before smiling at me.

"It's what anyone would have done. How bad was it anyway?" he asked.

"A black eye, a broken nose and a few scratches here and there," I said softly.

"Abberline?" Joker's voice called and the man turned towards him, "thank 'ee for bringing back our Angel to us."

"It really wasn't anything special, but really…you're both welcome. I have to go back to the file room. It was nice seeing you, Vanessa, and hopefully I will again. Got myself tickets to see the circus."

"What day?" I asked him.

"The second, since the first was sold out," he replied shyly.

"I'll keep my eye out for you," I said and watched him go.

Joker took my arm and we left the police station. We turned towards the campsite, with Joker only stopping once to buy me a flower. I twirled it between my fingers as we walked. Doc had said my eye should clear up in a week or so, but I could use make-up to cover it for the parade and the shows until then. Dagger had been reprimanded and for leaving me alone, he had to muck out the stalls for all the animals for a week. Joker had decided it was only fair. As we reached the gates again, I felt secure.

"We better start getting ready for the parade," Joker said to me as he closed the gates behind us.

"Are we practising tonight?" I asked and he nodded, "I'll see you then."

He left, feeling safe that I was behind those gates. We had spoken with three other prostitutes who had been skulking this morning, and given them a shilling each as the majority of my money had been stolen. I now had five contacts: Alice McKenzie, Mary Kelly, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Frances Coles. I would speak to them all before the parade anyway, so I twirled my flower and decided until then, I would go to my little haven.

* * *

 **So what did you all think? Vanessa met Fred Abberline, and he looks familiar to her? You also now know the name of her aunt, Sabine :) I'm working on the next chapter already, so it will be up in a day or two. I'll try to start in on the anime soon :) Please leave a review and let me know what you think so far of Vanessa, and the story in general :) Just a reminder, I know the JtR arc happened in a different timeline from BoC but I liked how this story could go with that arc :) Hope you all like the story and talk to you all soon :D**


	4. Chapter 4: A Colourful Parade

**Hi everyone, this is a Reader's POV :) Hope you enjoy it :) I am sorry for the late upload...I had to rename the chapter in Doc Manager to get it up here. :)**

* * *

You close the front door of your home, leaving the warmth of the recently lit fire to retrieve some milk. You had run out of it this morning but on the way back from work, you had forgotten to buy more. Sadly, that meant you had to find a shop that was open now. You would have preferred staying inside on this bitterly cold evening with your slippers on, relaxing, and possibly reading a book that your spouse had bought for you. But that was neither here nor there, and the faster you finished this task, the faster you could make that relaxing concept a reality.

"Right, I have to get the milk," you say to encourage yourself to move forward.

You take the steps outside your home slowly, as ice had started to form along the edges earlier. Once at the bottom, you wrap a scarf tighter around your neck, tuck the ends into your coat and look up to the sky. The sky has darkened by the clouds so you feel the need to hurry. It might rain and you don't want to be caught outside when it does. A moth fluttered towards a lamppost, obstructing the light for a moment before fluttering away. Once it is out of sight, you return to the task at hand. You were looking forward to spring, to shed this too heavy coat and wear lighter clothes. You press your nose into the lapel and get a strong smell off it. You put your hands in your pockets and start walking forward, least the chill sink into your bones.

You take the left path, as the right led to…unsightly locations. You remember a report in the newspaper a few weeks ago of a torso being located on Pinchin Street, but the woman it had once belonged to has remained unknown. You shake your head to clear it of thoughts like that and decide not to spend too long out here in the dark. You remind yourself about the need for milk and consider which shops would be open now. You remember a small shop that could still be open and might sell you a pint of milk. That could last you until morning and you could buy more then.

As you walk down the street, you see women out, leaning against walls and waving to strangers. Men wandered over admiring the beauty of some of the prostitutes, and the price of some of the others. Weren't these girls frightened? There was a murderer…who was killing prostitutes! You look around before spotting a patrolman, his lantern held high. Maybe the women were being lured into a false sense of security by those lanterns and the men behind them. But the papers had said that Jack was killing more in private these days, luring the women away from prying eyes. Like Annie Chapman earlier this month. Maybe these women thought nothing as cruel as that could happen to them. What were their lives compared to a night in a rotten bed and a bottle of some cheap alcohol?

You are grateful that none of your relatives were nightwalkers, you didn't think you could stomach it if it had been so. You would have demanded that Scotland Yard do something more than just put more men out on the streets. That hadn't helped that young girl earlier this week, the one who had been attacked on Osborn Street. The paper had said she had been minding her own business when a man had started chasing her, attacked her and then mugged her. It had continued to say that she was lucky to be alive, but you had a feeling that the paper was exaggerating a lot of things nowadays. The girl had probably gotten a few scratches and lost her money. You couldn't comprehend why she had been on Osborn Street to begin with anyway.

As you pass the last prostitute, you glance back, feeling sorry for them. You wished this wasn't the case and that the women had no need to earn money in such a manner. They should be with their families, enjoying the warmth of a fire. There had to be more to the women then their bodies. But you continue walking, not wanting one of them to think you were a customer. You make it to the end of the street without attracting attention from the women when you spot a barricade. It blocked the road ahead with a sign saying "NO ENTRY" in a bright illuminous red. When you got closer, the red reminded you of fresh blood, which unnerved you and sent a shiver down your spine.

You sigh and decide not to think about such things, not while you were outside in the dark and cold with prostitutes behind you. But the sign continues to puzzle you and you try looking beyond it, but there does not seem to be a reason why it was put there. What was it blocking? People or carriages?

"Are you alright?" a patrolman asks you as he noticed you standing still, contemplating the sign.

"What is the barricade for?" you ask, and he gives you a bright smile.

"There's a parade going on at the moment for that new circus in London. They decided this was the best time, as their first show is tomorrow," the patrolman muttered, clearly not in favour of it, "this barricade is to stop any carriages entering."

"Is it safe?" you ask.

"Hell if I know," he answered, shrugging his shoulders and going back to work.

You looked back at the barricade and decide to see what this circus is offering. It might be a nice treat for you and your spouse. You had seen the advertisement in the papers, it had been circulating for the last week. You had wandered past their campsite and seen workmen putting up tents one day and speaking to a young woman, a notebook in her hands. She might have been their boss for that job, now that you thought about it. On another occasion, you had seen the woman by the gate, speaking to a man who was clearly a butcher as he had handed her a small crate. She had put it at her feet and waved him goodbye before going back into the campsite. That had also been the same day that you had seen a sign with the dates for the circus and when it was opening officially. The first two nights had been sold out quickly with the other nights not nearly as popular.

You come to the conclusion that this circus was most likely similar to any other circus and that their acts were pretty standard. You try to recall the last time you had been to a circus, and it turned out to be about seven years ago. It had been disappointing, nothing compared to the first time you had gone to one. That first circus had been a trip your father had organised, having earned a little extra for his hard work during the year. Two tickets had been bought and he had given you one. Your mother had remained at home to tend to the house and for one night, you had your father's full attention.

"Did you enjoy it, child?" he had asked you afterward, and you had nodded.

No circus had been able to compare to that first one, but maybe you could give this one a try. It could be a day out, something to do while you waited for the family to come down for their scheduled trip. Now that you thought about it, hadn't your boss just given you a raise for the year? As a thank you for all your hard work with the company? Perhaps, it was time to enjoy the money you earned than worrying about the cost of living in London. Maybe your spouse would enjoy the break as well. You pass the barricade and enter the growing crowds that had gathered on the streets. You move through them, aiming to get as close to the front as they would allow you. But everyone seemed too distracted by the lights to notice you.

You stop behind a little girl, her gloved hand held tight by her father as she leaned out to see if anything had arrived yet. Her hair was golden brown and her skin looked orange in the light. She was probably naturally pale like her father who appeared blue from another light. Her scarf was a light blue and her coat was black like her boots. The man had dark hair, but with the orange, red and blue lights dancing off it, you can't determine what colour it is exactly. The girl turned her attention from the road to look at her father, and you see her eyes are a soft green, her smile warm and welcoming.

"Daddy!" she said, her excitement almost palpable, "do you see the circus yet?"

"They've just turned onto the street," he replied and she leaned out again before gasping.

The crowd push a little to see, so you wait until you can see the lanterns. You stand on the tips of your toes to see what was coming, and then you see them too. Two people walking on stilts, their movements reminded you of dancing. They held out necklaces, dropping them into the crowd for people to cheer. Behind them was an elephant carrying two women, one black haired while the other was as white as snow with an umbrella over her head. Streamers shot out around the crowd as the troupe lit candles for people to hold and light their way down the street. You look to the sky and saw multi-coloured streamers floating down, their surface illuminated by the candles. The colours you see were mixtures between plain and patterned. They made the cold night seem bright and cheerful.

Two horses carried a cage behind them with a tiger in it, and the creature roared for the crowds and looked like any tiger at the circus. There was a platform behind them that threw out more objects for the crowd to cheer for. You were looking at the crowd on the opposite street when you spot her. Her hair was like raw starlight, a pure brilliant white blonde. Her skin was porcelain and untainted by the lights that had shun through the father's hair. She ran past the horses and leapt mid-air, a tiger sprung out and the pair narrowly miss each other as she stood unharmed by the tiger's right. The tiger was glossy and white, truly a sight to behold. Her hand, which seemed lightly wrapped in ribbon touched the tiger's head before they started walking again.

The ribbon stopped at her wrist, tied with a small bow. She was dressed rather oddly, a puffed skirt that stopped mid-thigh in three layers of cream and white. Her top consisted of a white blouse with capped sleeves and a black corset tied in the front, her naval showing at the joint for the skirt. Your eyes skimmed down her legs to see thigh high stockings in pure black with dark brown boots decorating her feet. Her face looked bright and flushed, her hair lay in waves down her back that covered two angel wings. Her face was made up to look paler, her lips painted red to stand out against the dress as a small hat lay on the side of her head. From the hat; black, cream, white, and red ribbons floated down and matched the black ribbon around her wrist.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Step right up!" a man shouted and you look for him.

He looked like the girl's other half, both of them had dressed eccentrically. He wore a plain white shirt under a checked waistcoat. A purple coat hung off his shoulders as he waved his hands, one of which was skeletal in nature. His hair was a flaming orange with what appeared like stitches for a hairband.

"The Noah's Ark Circus has arrived!" another voice called out and you find it to be the girl.

"Forget the cold weather and the bleak news!" the orange haired man called out.

"The show of the century is about to begin!" the girl concluded before walking to your side of the road, the white tiger following her.

When you see her up close, you can see the laughter in her eyes. She was clearly enjoying herself here, performing for the people. You look back over her clothes and consider the idea that she must be freezing. She wasn't wearing a coat by the looks of it. She looked a touch too slender to be healthy and you notice this as she stopped in front of the little child with her father. The tiger also stopped there and the child cried in delight.

"Hi there," the girl said, her voice soft and gentle towards the child, "do you like the circus?"

"Yeah!" the child answered, earning a smile from the girl.

"Well then, you'll just have to come to the place where dreams come true then," she whispered as she dropped to the child's level and took her free hand between two of her own, "join us for the adventure!"

The girl slowly ran her hand along the child's before taking it away altogether. What was left were two tickets for the circus and the child looked down in amazement before looking back at the girl. She guided the tiger over for the girl to touch, and she did, running her finger through its fur. It purred for her, which demonstrated how well trained it was to begin with. The girl then pulled a balloon from behind the child's ear and blew it up, shaping it for her before handing back a little pink dog. The child accepted it, laughing before the girl stood up straight.

The girl looks directly at you, and it felt like her eyes were staring straight into your soul. She put her hand out to you, the ribboned one and you give her one of yours. She placed her other hand behind it and clasped it tight. She was cold to the touch, almost as if she had been outside for hours.

"Don't be afraid to dream the impossible," she said, giving you a warm smile, "join us for the adventure."

She pulled her hand back slowly, and then you felt something that was not her hand. You look down to see two tickets for the circus where her hand had been.

"How did you…?" you ask immediately, certain you hadn't felt her force something there.

She put her finger to her lips and gave you a wink before smiling and walking off to join the orange haired man. She proceeded to do that trick for a few more children and adults. They rounded a corner and she ran off with her tiger on her heels, disappearing to entertain more people. Once they were out of sight, you felt like the street had dropped a few degrees in warmth. You look down at the tickets she had given you. The date marked on them was for tomorrow night, their first night apparently.

You glance at the way the circus had gone and wonder if that girl was a performer and hoped she was. If she was there tomorrow, you wonder what sort of tricks she could perform. Your spouse and you could enjoy a night together, like you had with your father so very long ago. You pull away from the thinning crowd, finding the smile on your face impossible to dim and start on your way home. You had so much to tell your spouse. You, however, stop dead in your tracks when you remember why you had left the house to begin with.

"Milk," you mutter as you turn and head down the street towards the shops, "I'll get the milk first."

* * *

 **So the circus is in town now :) I hope you liked this, and I'm starting the next chapter tomorrow :) Sorry again for the late upload**


	5. Chapter 5: An Alternative Reality

**Hi everyone :) Sorry about the delay but like with the last chapter, I rewrote this one a lot too :( But I'm happy with how it turned out.**

 ***For the people who read "The Phantomhive's New Maid", and know of my OC Elena, this is to explain her chapter from a new prospective. I told a few of you that she can't follow the new story line as it would be taking away parts of her character. So hopefully, you'll enjoy the next few chapters. Thanks for reading it***

* * *

The servants were packing my carriage with clothes and some food for our trip to the townhouse. With two very pressing cases now on us, we had to act quickly. I gazed out the window to the gardens beyond, only being pulled back when a knock on my door informed me I had company. I saw Sebastian's distorted shape as he approached me, a letter in his hands.

"This arrived for you, young master," he said as he held it out to me.

"From?" I asked as I turned the letter over to see a strange seal on the back. I had only seen this with letters from Frank Hamilton, so what was he sending me letters for now? The handwriting didn't belong to him, and seemed feminine in nature. Did Hamilton have a mistress?

I pulled the seal free and opened the envelope. It revealed a silver card decorated with black roses on the edges. I took it out of its shelter and saw my name scrawled in the handwriting on one side as "Lord Earl Ciel Phantomhive." I turned it over, wondering what had warranted a card.

You, Lord Phantomhive, are cordially invited

To the wedding of

Elena Hamilton & Jonathon Rawlings

Church of England, London,

10th October 1888

3pm

~ This invitation includes a guest of your choosing ~

I looked over the card again, wondering where this had come from. I remembered Elena Hamilton from the village of Houndsworth, a maid to Lord Henry Berrymore. She had been the only staff for the household, and according to Sebastian, she had been half-demon. The last I had seen of her, she had been walking towards a smaller estate, a smile on her face as she waved goodbye to me.

 _"Contact me if you ever return to Houndsworth, Lord Phantomhive," she had called out before disappearing from view._

"So this is where she disappeared to…" I said as I showed the invite to Sebastian.

"We last saw her…five months ago?" Sebastian asked and I nodded.

"Sebastian, save the date when we're in the townhouse. It would be interesting to see her again…"

* * *

(Elena's POV)

I rubbed the soles of my worn boots on the welcome mat outside the backdoor before opening the door and stepping into the large rustic kitchen. It was the place I spent the majority of my time, enjoying the solitude. I hummed to myself as I undid the buttons of my coat and put it up on the hangers. My scarf followed before I put my gloves into my pockets. I flexed my fingers before reaching back to retrieve my basket of food.

I put it by the stove and located my apron and tied it around my waist quickly. A pair of fresh plastic gloves were put on my hands and my hair tied away from my face. I looked up at the clock over the stove, noticing it was only noon. I had made it back in good time then, considering my master had requested I speak to the locals about their dogs. I had been invited in for tea on a few occasions as well, which reminded me…

I emptied my basket and looked at the tin of tea I had bought. It was some strange mix between Darjeeling and coffee, supposed to be a smooth drink. I tilted my head to the side as I read the label, hoping my friend Janice had been right about her recommendation. It didn't sound appetising…considering it suggested drinking only cup a day. Was it that strong?

I boiled a kettle and made myself a cup and blew on it to cool before sipping. Once I had a mouthful, the flavours decided to wage war between themselves in my mouth. The coffee overpowered the Darjeeling, and then vice versa. I ran to the sink and spat it out, turning on the tap to drink fresh water and rid my mouth of that awful taste. Who thought that coffee and flavoured Darjeeling would work together? Were they certifiable?!

"I can't serve this today," I muttered as I licked my lips, "it tastes like…"

I didn't have a comparison that seemed to fit. I put the tea/coffee in the pantry and decided it could be dealt with later. I grabbed a foot stool to see what other drinks we had. Master's coffee took up two full shelves, varying from region to intensity. I pulled down tins to read their labels, awestruck by how many variations there could be. There was another odd one in the back. Some milk tea mixed with cocoa beans to give it a more…revitalising effect? Where the hell had I picked up these things? Or had the old staff bought them and left them once they retired?

I was about to give up hope when I found a tin, dusty from lack of use and wiped the label. The contents were only a few weeks old, but tea could keep like that.

"Earl Grey, huh?" I asked as I peered in on the contents of the tin, "seems legit."

I walked out of the pantry with it and boiled another cup for myself, taking deep breaths before tasting it. Sure, it was weak, but at least it wasn't coffee fighting with cocoa. I could serve this…but it would need something extra. Something sweet to add to its flavour.

"Biscuits…tea always tastes nice with biscuits," I said with a smile as I started working on them.

It took an hour before they were ready, and I then made myself another cup before eating one with it. The tea complimented the biscuit and added a new layer to the weak taste. It made it an oddly pleasant experience for me, considering I almost never drank tea unless it was to bring it to bed. I finished the cup and set it in the sink to wash later. All I had to do for today was make dinner, as the guest room and the servants' rooms were dressed and aired out since seven this morning. I had even aired out the library in case the Earl wanted to read.

I decided I had spent enough time cooking biscuits and drinking tea, so I started dinner. It would be a lovely roasted leg of lamb with potatoes, peas, carrots and a small sauce of gravy to garnish. It was one of my master's favourite meals, that and venison. But I only had access to the latter when my master had gone out hunting, which unfortunately, was nearly every week. I rubbed spices into the lamb leg, mixed it with some oil before putting it in a baking tray to be put on later.

I took off those gloves and replaced them before starting on the vegetables. Those were peeled and chopped before being put into water to await some heat. I then stepped back and wondered what should be cooked for dessert. My master didn't have a big sweet tooth, but our guest might. I decided on a cake which I started mixing before I split it into two separate containers. One would be for the Earl and the other would be for the servants. I set those aside to cook later as I found the icing ingredients.

I pulled a piece of paper from my pocket and realised I had forgotten something. I had forgotten to pick up food for the servants. I pulled a pencil from my hair and tapped it carefully against my lips before deciding on a stew. It would only need a few pieces of meat, potatoes (which I had already bought), carrots (ditto), but I needed stock. That was not something I could make here, so I added it to the list. I added more vegetables, thinking the servants may need the extra energy. I put that piece of paper back in my pocket along with the pencil before looking into the pantry. I would have to go shopping in the morning to replenish it, and that meant I needed to look at the finances as well tonight.

"It can all wait," I whispered to myself as I poured myself a glass of water, "the Earl should be here soon with his servants. Master told me to bring him into the parlour for their meeting."

I drank the water and checked the time. It was nearly three when I looked. Where had two hours gone? I still needed to get more food, greet the guests, stay with them, bring the servants to their rooms, bring the Earl to his room, light the fires, prepare dinner, serve said dinner, serve dessert…it was all too much for one person. Yet, that was how it was. There was only me in this household, no one else worked for Lord Henry Berrymore.

I shrugged my shoulders before taking off that second pair of gloves. I flexed my fingers and decided to start putting things in the parlour. I loaded a trolley with two pots, making sure I used different china. Master had a black tea set with a cup that matched while the Earl…well, I gave him the powder pink Cheshire set. It wasn't to be rude…it was the only other set I had bought when I had started working here. Berrymore had seemed like an eligible bachelor, so I had expected plenty of female callers. The tea set was pink to add to the woman's gentle touch…sadly there had been only one female caller in the last three years, and that had been me when I had come up to the estate to request a job.

"At least it can be used for someone," I muttered as I held the pink cup in my hand, "it is a nice tea set."

I put the matching pot on the trolley and wheeled them both into the parlour, leaving the trolley on the very edge of the table so it would be easier to pour. I then added the mixtures, making sure not to mix them up as I put Earl Grey in the pink Cheshire pot and the coffee grounds in the black pot. I set the cups apart from each other upside-down and decided I would retrieve water once the Earl was seated. It would be boiling then, and once added to the mixtures, should take three minutes before I served them their drinks. I put the biscuits down on the desk and made sure the flowers in here were still fragrant. The windows were opened and the curtains pulled away before I decided this was the best I could do.

At that thought, carriage wheels entered the property. I ran into the kitchen, put the water on to boil, put the meat on to cook. I would cook the cakes and the vegetables once the stew was on to cook. I pulled my hair free and let it rest down my back before adding the bonnet, fixed my apron and walked back out into the hall. I opened the front doors slowly as the carriages were coming to a stop.

There were two, one containing the Earl who looked too young to have such a title and a driver clad in black. The second held four servants, one of which had his feet dangling off the driver's bench. That had to be unsafe. I returned my attention back to the boy and stepped towards him, attracting the attention of the driver.

"I presume this is the Earl of Phantomhive?" I asked when I looked to the driver, who was watching me strangely.

"Yes, it is," he answered and I bowed from my waist, before lifting the ends of my skirt to curtsy to them.

"Welcome to Berrymore Castle," I said once I had finished the curtsy, "my master is awaiting your arrival."

"Hey," a deep voice commented, and I wasn't sure they wanted my attention or not, so I glanced over. It was an older man, his blond hair short and hidden under a cap.

"She's lovely, yes she is," a female voice said. Her hair appeared short and plum in two matching pigtails. She wore a pair of glasses that looked too large for her small face, revealing nothing of her natural eye colour.

"Em…" a younger blond boy commented, clearly not sure what to say. He had longer blond hair and had clipped a few strands away from his face with red pins. He looked my age, maybe a little older.

I stepped away from the driver to let him descend, where he opened the carriage door and the Earl stepped out. I kept my eyes on the ground, knowing it was rude to look someone superior in the eyes. That was when I saw he put a walking stick on the muddy ground. I bit my lip, knowing I shouldn't say anything. But he would hardly appreciate walking in there with a stained walking stick.

"Earl Phantomhive?" I asked, keeping my eyes on the ground, "there was a terrible rain last night. It has caused the normal ground to become….well, mud. Your walking stick…"

He lifted it and muttered something under his breath.

"I can clean it for you and have it back in three minutes," I said quickly.

"Very well," he said and it was held out to me.

I took it carefully and led the pair towards the front doors. The walking stick looked too small for a man, but it was heavy. How could anyone carry around this thing? I held the middle by my side as I waited at the doors for the Earl and his driver to pass me before closing them. They would let in a draft otherwise.

"Would you clean that before I speak with your master?" the Earl asked as I had started to lead the way to the parlour.

"Su…sure!" I said quickly and changed directions, "do you wish to follow me?"

I led the way to the kitchen and descended the stairs slowly. I grabbed a damp cloth and went to the sink, retrieving my tea cup from earlier so it didn't get stained by mud. I turned the tap on and dampened the cloth, placing the walking stick aside so I could drain the cloth.

"Such pale pink paws…" a voice whispered, "eyes that are so innocent of this world…"

I turned to see what was happening. The Earl was sitting at the table, viewing the tins of coffee and tea I had left out. His driver was by the door, looking at my cat. His hand was running gently down her head and across her swollen stomach.

"That's Salem," I said as I went back to the cloth, "she's due in the next week or so."

"She is a fine creature," the driver answered.

"You can hold her, I think she's had some catnip," I said as I ran the cloth along the walking stick.

I heard shuffling and figured the driver was holding her. The Earl sighed as I located a towel and dried the stick. I then ran my fingers along it to make sure it was dry before turning back to the pair, now in different positions. The driver was holding Salem, and the cat was leaning into him. The Earl had moved and was standing at the door, a cloth over his nose and mouth.

"Are you alright?" I asked as I walked towards the Earl, the stick at my side.

"I'm allergic to cats," he answered, "and Sebastian adores them."

"Sebastian?" I asked, and got two answers.

"Hmm?" from the driver.

"Him holding the cat," the Earl answered with a heavy sigh.

"The cat doesn't leave the kitchen," I said, not sure to who, "and here's your walking stick."

I held it out to the Earl to take, who looked at it as if it were new.

"Sebastian, say good bye to your feline friend," the Earl said as if he were tired.

"You can see her later," I said as he put her back in her bed, "she rarely leaves here."

The driver nodded, fixed his coat and moved towards us, looking like he wanted to go back to the cat almost immediately. It looked so…amusing that I snickered. I raised one hand to cover it up, but the sound that came out couldn't be helped. The Earl looked at me curiously as I retrieved the boiled water from the burners and carried it through towards the parlour.

"Follow me, Earl Phantomhive…and Sebastian," I said, certain a smile was on my face.

I opened the door as I stepped in, letting Sebastian hold it as I brought the hot water over to the pots. I poured it into each, making sure not to overfill them before putting the jug down on a lower shelf. I put the lids on the pots and turned over an egg timer.

"Elena," a voice said and I glanced up, to see my master was glaring at me, beckoning me closer.

"Sorry sir," I said as I moved away from the trolley towards him.

As I got closer, my pace slowed. Something wasn't right, and it made the hairs on my arms stand up. I looked at my master, seeing a grin there, like a predator luring in prey. I gulped, and stopped a foot from him. But it was too late, and he caught my hand, pulling me closer to him. I could smell his rancid breath and it made bile rise in my throat. He pushed me to my knees and as I glanced up to find out what he was doing, a whip caught my cheek.

It took a moment for my brain to register it, to feel it smart. But by the time that happened, he had brought the whip down again across my back. I leaned down, shielding my face from the onslaught as I whimpered. I had been beaten by him before, but not to this extent. He was tearing my dress to shreds, my corset exposed. My apron detached and leaned near my hands, not even a thread holding it there. What had I done wrong to deserve this?

"Who the hell is this Chihuahua?! I told you to bring me the Queen's Guard Dog when he arrived!" my master snapped as he brought the whip down on every second word. I screamed, my back started to feel raw but it didn't stop him. As far as my master was concerned, I had made an error in judgement.

"Chihuahua?" someone questioned, but over the sound of the whip, the voice sounded distorted.

My back arched, forcing me to bite back more screams. The whip moved to include my arms and legs. The bonnet on my head came free and fell in front of my eyes, catching the tears that had begun streaming down my cheeks.

"Can't you do anything, you stupid bitch?!" my master demanded.

"Move, Sebastian," someone said and I clenched my hands in front of me. I was waiting for the next strike.

It never happened, and I waited a moment before glancing up, ready to put my head to the floor. My eyes were surprised by what I saw. My master's hand which had been holding whip was clasped tight by Sebastian, some of the whip gathered with it. He looked untroubled by my master attempting to pull free. I lifted myself up a little higher to sit on my feet, feeling my body tremble and my breath took on the form of hiccups.

"What are you doing, you filthy Dobermann!" my master demanded, "someone should train you better! Let me go right now!"

"He's acting on my orders," the Earl stated as I turned in his direction to see he had a troubled look on his face, "I'd rather she wasn't beaten to death in my presence."

"Who are you?!" my master snapped as the Earl put his walking stick down on the table, giving me a smile.

"From the sound of it, you already received the letter I sent. My name is Ciel, Earl of Phantomhive," he replied.

The Earl nodded towards Sebastian who released my master's hand. My master rubbed it as it had gone numb before dropping the whip to the floor. It lay near me, and I shied away from it. I could feel it all now, and it hurt. I could taste blood on my lips, which was also a strange experience.

"Do you mean to tell me that a toy poodle, like you, is the Queen's emissary?" my master asked, clearly unsure of where he stood now.

"You don't like small breeds?" he asked in reply, "now that's hardly fair."

My master stepped around me, standing for a moment on my ankle before moving towards the table. He sat down with what I equated with great effort before sending me a withering look. As if I were wasting his time, by staying on the floor and hurt. I wanted to wrap up in my blankets, and pretend none of this had happened. I wanted my mum to tell me it was all a terrible dream…but she never would again.

"Please miss, allow me to assist you," Sebastian voice broke through the haze and I looked up at him.

His eyes were an odd colour, almost brown but verging into a rusty red colour in one light. His skin was greyish, almost sickly. But his smile promised me security, and that was all I wanted right then. I put my bruised hand in his immaculate white gloved ones, and he steadied me before letting me go. I shivered, coughed slightly as I limped towards the trolley. The timer was empty so I lifted a tea cup as the Earl gave my master some documents. I put the cups out, seeing the pink cup as warm. I checked the pink pot before pouring some into the cup and placed it in front of the Earl. I then went to the black pot, checked it before pouring some black coffee in the cup for my master. He sipped it as he glanced over the documents before slamming them down on the table, forcing them to separate.

"There's nothing to discuss," my master stated as he sipped more coffee, "under no circumstance will I sell Berrymore Castle to anybody."

I cast him a sidelong glance, wishing to inform him that the household was a lost investment. If he wasn't the damn Lord of this small village, he'd be lining up at a soup kitchen. He glared at me and I moved away, bumping into Sebastian as I put some space between us.

"Why is that?" the Earl questioned, leaning forward a little.

"Because of the curse," my master answered, leaning away and crossing his arms across his chest.

"Oh, what curse?" the Earl asked, looking at Sebastian before giving me a quick glance. He sipped his tea and looked down at the cup with an odd amazement before taking some more.

"This village, and its dogs, have existed for centuries. Anyone who interferes with us will be cursed in a most horrible way. Even the Queen cannot lift the curse! Your mission is pointless! Anyone who acts against the wishes of the Berrymore family is destined to meet an unimaginable and terrible end," my master answered, standing up to glare at the boy.

"My, how interesting," the boy replied, smiling a little. It didn't reach his uncovered eye though.

"What?!" my master snapped, hoping that the story would frighten the Earl and he would leave early.

"You've piqued my curiosity. I'd like to see this dreadful curse of yours, Lord Henry," the boy replied, clasping his hands in front of him as if he had all the time in the world.

I looked to my master who was growling, low enough that I could sense the threat. He was a very imposing man, considering the Earl was smaller than I was. But without having me cool down the situation, he pushed away from the table and left the parlour altogether. The door slammed on his way out, and I leaned forward to make sure he was gone.

"Good grief," I muttered as I put a hand to my head.

I walked over to my master's side of the table and gathered the papers before reaching into my tattered apron for a paperclip. I fastened it and set it down on the trolley for review. Master would want me to read through it, and being up to speed on these affairs was an asset in my line of work.

"This tea…is it Earl Grey?" the boy asked as he held up the pink cup.

"Yes sir," I replied as I poured the remains of my master's coffee back in the pot to be poured down the sink. It was too strong for a normal person to drink. I had tried it once, regretted it immediately.

"Do you want a refill?" I asked as I moved back to the pot, ran my hand along the bottom to heat up a little and the Earl nodded. I poured the fresh cup and moved the biscuits closer to him to pick at. He ate one.

"I apologise for earlier," I said softly, "I shouldn't have made a noise."

"Is that punishment normal?" the Earl asked and I shrugged my shoulders.

"That was the harsher end of the stick," I said, "normally, it's a slap or I get backhanded. But I've done something wrong…and it's understandable."

"Is that how the others see it?" he asked and I looked up, sure my confusion was evident, "the other staff."

"Oh, there are no others," I said, "I was the only one to apply for the position after the other staff left."

"Why did they leave?" Sebastian asked.

"Em…I think they were loyal to the previous head of the family, a man by the name of David Berrymore. My master was his only child and upon his death, inherited this estate. But the staff adored Charles Berrymore…and not the child. So I applied and here I am."

I had just summed up the last three years of my life…for a stranger. I shook my head slowly and closed the windows of the parlour. Once that was done, I glanced outside, seeing a few stalls open from here. I would clean myself up and retrieve a few bits for tonight.

"Do you want me to bring you to your room now, sir?" I asked and as I turned, I was greeted by Sebastian's chest. I looked up into his eyes, certain my heart was beating faster. I gulped to speak, but no words would come out.

"Your dress is rather exposed," he said as way of explanation before wrapping me in his coat and tying the sash.

It hung off me at an awkward angle, made me look less feminine than my normal coat did. But I gave him a smile and looked to the Earl as he finished his tea. I put that cup on the trolley, deciding to return for it later as I opened the parlour door and lifted my skirts, the coat and the remains of my apron so I could navigate the stairs with ease. I heard someone on the phone, certain it was my master. I walked past it and found the guest room I had cleaned out earlier this morning. I opened the door and let the Earl walk ahead of me.

"Do you want the fire lit?" I asked and he nodded as he sat down in a chair near the fireplace.

I walked over and took matches from my pockets and lit the paper. It took a few moments before it caught, and I stood slowly. I had refilled the logs earlier in case he needed it, and went to the wardrobe to make sure the heavier blankets were there.

"Sir, there are logs there in case the fire runs low and the warmer blankets are in here. It can get horribly cold at night. There's a bell on the right hand side of the bed, which is connected to the kitchen. Ring it should you require anything, and I'll be awake until about two in the morning. After that, I'll be awake again at five so just call down if anything comes to mind. Finally, I'll be heading into town for an hour or so, do you require anything to make your stay more to your liking?"

I took a deep breath once I had finished, starting to feel tired. I covered up a yawn, but I was certain the Earl saw it but said nothing.

"Sebastian, go into village with…what's your name?"

"Elena, sir," I stated.

"Sebastian, go into the village with Elena and pick up anything we may need for our stay here," the Earl ordered and Sebastian put a hand over his heart, bowed to him and motioned for me to take the lead.

I did so, going down to the kitchen where the other four sat gathered. I still needed to change and wash up, I could hardly speak to the vendors dressed like this! I grabbed the dress and ran up the servants' stairs towards my room. I found my jug of cold water and decided there was nothing else. I located a sponge and some towels, before I undid the coat. It smelled like my blood, so I set it aside to wash later. I then carefully undid what was left of my clothes before looking in the mirror. I was red around my neck, bruises decorated me like battle scars. I picked up the sponge and wiped over my front before I attempted to reach my back.

"Damn it!" I muttered before dropping to my butt and wrapping my arms around my legs, "why can't I do this myself?"

"Elena, do you require assistance?" a male voice asked, and I felt myself blush.

"No…no I'm fine," I called back.

The door opened slowly and I glanced around my dresser to see Sebastian. He had taken off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves and was watching me. I had never felt self-conscious before until that moment. Suddenly, I wasn't sure if my arms could cover everything. Sebastian put on a pair of gloves and walked slowly towards me.

"You seemed in distress," he stated as he started wiping my back, sending chills through me.

"No…no…" was all I could manage to say in reply.

"There are a few deep cuts on your back," he said, but I could hear the smile in his voice. He was enjoying my discomfort.

"I'm sure I can ask one of my friends to tend to it," I mumbled before I felt something bite near a cut, making me cry.

"Why bother?" he asked as the bite returned, "I'll simply stitch these as I would a jacket."

I gritted my teeth, and counted each bite. By the end of it, I had counted to fifteen. Sebastian then washed my back again before drying it, bandaging it and looked at my toes.

"What are you doing?" I asked in a whisper, embarrassed that a man was viewing me in nothing.

"I believe Lord Henry stood on your ankle," he answered as he lifted my foot before handing me a towel to cover my front with, "I want to know if it needs to be iced or not."

"It's probably fine," I said quickly, "it's not the first time…"

He touched it and I jumped, for him to tsk and wrap it with the spare bandages.

"If it wasn't for the fact that my young master asked me to accompany you, I would go alone to allow you to rest," he said before he caught my chin, "but something tells me you wouldn't sit down if I told you to."

"I have a lot of jobs to do," I replied softly.

"I'm aware of that," he said with a sigh, "I can put my tie over my eyes if that would make you relax."

"Why didn't you do that before?!" I demanded, the blush changing from pink to scarlet.

"I could hardly repair your back blindfolded. I'm one hell of a butler, not one hell of a doctor," he muttered which made me laugh, "did I say something funny?"

"Yeah," I whispered as he covered his eyes, "I'll get my corset and a new dress. Just…wait here…"

* * *

He had been quick with my clothes and I had thrown my hair into a ponytail to keep it out of my eyes before leaving the estate. My back felt itchy so I reached back to scratch. My hand barely passed my shoulder when Sebastian knocked it off. I sighed, knowing it was going to be a long hour. I lifted my basket up higher on my arm as we reached the gate for Berrymore Castle. From there, the locals seemed to swarm around me.

"Tell Lord Berrymore that the village is prospering!" a woman said as she caught my hand.

"Give this to the Lord," a young man said as he held out a dead bird, which was forcible stuffed into my basket.

"I'll pass on all of your messages," I said quickly before catching Sebastian's hand, "run!"

I tugged him at first before he ran alongside me. The crowds followed as I darted around vendors and hid in an alley, my back pressed against the shadows of a wall. Sebastian had the opposite wall as I tried to catch my breath.

"That was…interesting…" Sebastian commented and I stifled a laugh.

"That's a pretty low reaction," I said as I leaned out of the alley, "there's normally more of them."

"Do you always run from them?" Sebastian questioned and I nodded, "why?"

"Because they give me gifts like this," and I held the dead bird by its neck, "and expect me to cook this for Berrymore. I normally sell this on for extra money."

"When do you leave here?" he asked and I looked back out the alley, the crowd had grown a little and they were talking about finding me and my "handsome friend."

"You've been roped into this as well," I whispered before catching his hand again, "we'll exit on the next street."

I guided him down the alley and took a right before exiting onto a more tourist based area. The food here was premium quality, and only a select few knew of its existence. I had found it one day by accident, running from the villagers when I had stumbled upon it. I waved to the meat vendor, who waved back, a smile plastered on his face.

"Miss Elena!" he called when I was a few feet away from him, "I was worried when I didn't see you this morning!"

"I was on a tight schedule, Tom," I replied with a smile, "can I tempt you to some unknown bird?"

"You always find the strangest of gifts for me," Tom answered as I handed him the bird, "the meat in this one would be tender. How about…a shilling for it?" and he waved it by its broken neck.

"A shilling, huh?" I asked and he nodded, "sure. But don't bother giving me the money. Do you have any beef cuts?"

"What are you cooking?" he asked.

"A stew," I replied and he nodded before retrieving some meat, "that's perfect."

He wrapped it up for me, and I took it before sticking it in my now ruined basket.

"Enough for eight," he said with a smile, "so you trade me a bird for beef? Interesting."

"Thanks Tom," I said before walking on to buy onions and other vegetables.

I located another butcher who I bought stock off of, who poured it into a bottle and gave it to me free of charge.

"I'll only pour it down the sink, Miss Elena," he stated and I smiled.

"That's the food sorted," I said to Sebastian once I ticked it off my list, "I was going to pick up some milk tea and a new nightdress for myself. Did you need anything?"

"Earl Grey tea and possibly a new coat for my master," Sebastian answered and I nodded, bringing him back into the alley.

I found a seamstress who had known my mother. She was an elderly woman with selective hearing. Her hair was greying and wispy, like the clouds above us.

"Elaine!" she called.

"My name's not Elaine," I mumbled as she hugged me, "it's Elena."

"Oh Elaine, I found the most beautiful fabric!" she said, and I let it go, "and you brought a man with you! Oh dear girl, I wasn't aware you had found someone!"

"I haven't," I mumbled but she again wasn't listening.

"Have you been with Elaine long?" the woman asked Sebastian, catching his hand and shaking it.

"Only the last hour or so," Sebastian replied, giving me a smile.

"My my! I'll sew you a beautiful wedding dress!" the woman said and I shook my head.

"I came here for the nightdress I requested a few weeks ago," I said slowly and she nodded before walking off for it, "that was painful."

"Is she hard of hearing?" Sebastian whispered to me.

"I'm not sure anymore," I mumbled as she returned with a small parcel for me.

"This is truly beautiful! I bet you," and she pointed to Sebastian, "won't be able to keep your hands off her in this!"

"And a cloak!" I said slowly and she gave me her attention, "I need a cloak."

"For yourself?"

"No a thirteen year old," Sebastian answered, making the woman do a double-take.

"Do you have their measurements?" she asked and Sebastian wrote them down, "this is the same as Elaine!"

"Oh, it appears so," Sebastian said, enjoying my discomfort once more, "how much will that cost?"

"Four pence," she answered and Sebastian paid, "I'll have this ready in a week!"

"Perfect," Sebastian answered as he caught my arm, "shall we leave now?"

"Please," I begged and he opened the door for me to exit.

Once we are on the street, I found myself laughing.

"Something funny?" Sebastian asked.

"That woman was the exact same when I was growing up!" I replied as I stood and wiped my eyes, "the tea shop is just down this way."

We weaved through the crowds and I stopped twice to see some small stalls. They were selling trinkets, small things they had looted from around town. A few things seemed prettier than others, but nothing to catch my attention for too long. I walked on to the tea shop and opened the door, saw it was pretty quiet for the evening. My friend Janice was sitting behind the counter, leafing through a penny dreadful. Her blonde hair fell down her back and I saw the hint of her green eyes from here.

"Hi Janice," I said and she shot up, dropping her book and spilled some tea leaves.

"Damn it!" she snapped before looking up, "hey Elena…and friend."

"Hello," Sebastian answered.

"What tea was that?" I asked as we walked closer to her as she cleaned up.

"Some new mix dad's been working on for a while, tastes rotten," and she pulled a face as she put the leaves in the bin, "not much better than the…beautiful flavours I gave you," and she looked over her shoulder to make sure her dad wasn't there, "please tell me that Earl liked it. I swear if he didn't, I will never recommend another thing again!"

"Yeah…he loved it," I lied to her, "it was unique…those were his words."

"Really?!" and I nodded, "brilliant! What can I get you now?"

"Milk tea," I said before looking at Sebastian, "and Earl Grey."

"Really? Sure you don't want to try the milk tea/peppermint mix?" she asked me.

"Not today, Janice, just normal milk tea and Earl Grey please," I said with a sigh as she went off to retrieve them.

She held out two tins to me and I stuck them into my basket before I saw her hand extend for money.

"How much?"

"A shilling and three pence," she said as I gave it to her.

"I feel you're robbing me," I muttered.

"Earl Grey is not cheap to import," she stated simply, "no love lost with tea," and I turned to leave, "em…Elena?"

"What's up, Janice?"

"Are you still having those…dreams?" she asked me.

"Yeah, why?"

"Dad found a new tea, not mixed or anything. Says it's…hard to drink but it's good for…your problems. Do you want a tin?"

"I'm out of pocket at the moment," I muttered as she grabbed a clean tin and held it out to me.

"Take it, no one will drink it. But maybe…maybe it will help you. Just…don't drink too much. Someone came in here a few weeks ago and bought it. Drank four cups a day. She died yesterday…so…"

"Don't drink four cups a day?" I summed up and she nodded, "I'll drink some before I go to bed."

"Talk to you soon?" she asked.

"Don't you always?" I asked and she went back to her penny dreadful without answering me.

"That was strange," I whispered as we stood on the street, lifting the tin to investigate, "she's normally cheerful."

"What is your problem?" Sebastian asked as I looked over the label, "that requires poison to cure?"

"Poison?" I asked and he nodded, "how is this poison?"

He caught my free hand and brought me away from the shop and into an isolated corner. He took the tin from me and opened it slowly, revealing spiders inside. I pushed my back against a wall as Sebastian put the tin on the floor for the spiders to escape from.

"What…the…hell?!" I demanded, "was there any tea in there?"

"No," Sebastian answered, "now what was your problem? Because it must be dire if your friend wants to kill you."

"Are you sure she did?" I asked as I saw a spider creep across the floor, "maybe she made a mistake…"

"There was no mistake," he replied, "her intent was to hand you the poisonous spiders. Her father was watching your exchange, and motioned her to select a certain tin."

"And the Earl Grey?" I asked as I held out the other two tins, "are these more?"

Sebastian opened them slowly and fastened them again before handing them back.

"They are genuine tea," he answered, "but you cannot return here. Janice will believe you dead."

"How would I not have found out in time?" I asked him.

"The spiders would have moved up, clung to the lid and as you opened it, you would have had a handful of them. Before you had a chance to swipe at one, you would have been bitten."

"And I would have…died…" I whispered, finding it hard to stay standing.

"We better return before too long," Sebastian said softly to me and brought me away from the tea shop, "and when we do, tell me why someone would want you dead."

"It doesn't matter," I whispered as we navigated our way back, "it's not too bad."

When we reached the estate, I opened the back door. No one was in there waiting so I checked on dinner. The lamb was still roasting so I turned on the vegetables and the cakes.

"I'll assist you," Sebastian stated and started chopping vegetables for the stew.

"Sure," I said, taking out the meat and seasoned it.

Once it was in the pot with the stock before mixing everything together. I gathered the teas and put them in the pantry, keeping the light on in case spiders decided to pop out of the coffee.

"I retrieved the trolley from the pantry," Sebastian said to me.

"Thanks," I whispered as I looked over all the labels.

"Can you hand me the Earl Grey? I'll make my master some tea before dinner," he said and I held out the old tin, "not the one from today?"

"I'm not sure I should leave it in here," I whispered, "I don't trust it."

"Very well," he replied as he left me to make the tea.

I didn't answer him and decided I would throw out the new teas. I walked out the back door and opened their containers before pouring them away. A small note fell out of one of them, so I reached for it. I put the tins aside and opened the note:

"Elena Hamilton, the Church is aware of your current status! It is ungodly to walk as you do! You are unclean!"

"Great…just…great," I muttered as I walked back into the kitchen.

I checked the food, leaving the note on the table. It felt wrong, something wasn't right. Sure, I had confided in Janice…but had I said something that warranted my death or a Church saying I was unclean? I didn't know what they would do with me…and that scared me. I had to get out of here, out of Houndsworth. I looked to the ceiling, knowing Berrymore was upstairs somewhere. I couldn't leave right now…not with me being the only staff!

"Why is this so…complicated?!" I shouted into my hands.

"What's complicated?" Sebastian asked as he returned.

I pointed to the table and he found the note.

"Unclean?" he asked once he had finished, "this seems childish at best. Where did you find it?"

"In the tea, I threw it out," I whispered.

"What has got the Church in a spin?" he asked me and I shook my head, "you do realise that you are going to die? Someone wants you gone."

"There's nothing I can do!" I shouted at him, finding tears running down my face, "I can't do anything! No matter what I do, it always happens. I go to sleep, and it feels like someone is calling me. But when I wake up, I'm alone again. I can't explain it better than that! I told Janice and she suggested herbal remedies, that maybe I was just too tired. But the calls happen when I'm awake as well!"

"What type of calls?" Sebastian asked, as if he needed it clarified.

"It's like, someone is calling my name. But…it's not my name," I whispered.

"Like this person wants you with them, to help them," Sebastian said and I nodded, "but you can only hear them in your head?"

"Now I know I sound insane," I muttered.

"No…I know what this is," he said, "I wasn't aware you were the same. We'll discuss this tonight, once the others have gone to bed."

"You can help me?" I asked him.

"I can try," he replied, "now I'll finish the stew. You prepare the dinner for your master and mine."

I nodded and grabbed the oven mittens before removing the lamb from the oven. I checked it was cooked through before cutting pieces off. They were set on the plates with potato moulds, carrots and peas. I poured some gravy sauce over it and sprinkled a little mint on top.

"What does your master drink at dinner?" I asked as I ran to the pantry to check the wines.

"Water will be fine," Sebastian answered.

I grabbed a red wine then, since it was my master's favourite. I had already arranged the table so I poured a jug full of water and added the bottle of red wine to breathe. I set the plates down and wheeled it slowly out, glancing over my shoulder to see Sebastian was ladling out stew into bowls. I smiled, hoped the servants liked it as I went to the dining room. My master was there already, and a few feet away from him, sitting in an armchair, was Ciel Phantomhive. He looked bored, so I vowed to find out what he liked to do in his spare time.

"Dinner is prepared," I said softly as I set out dishes, "tonight we have a splendid red wine from France. Earl, would you like to taste it?"

I poured a full glass for my master as he started eating dinner, so I had the bottle near the Earl.

"A taste," he answered so I poured a thimble full of it and left him to drink it.

"There is also water," I stated and the Earl nodded so I poured him a glass once he had pulled a face at the wine selection.

"I can promise you that Elena can cook far better than any chef you could have at your disposal," my master commented as he swallowed some lamb.

"Her skill is remarkable," Phantomhive replied, "where did you find her?"

"The village," Berrymore answered vaguely.

I left the room to prepare the cakes, finding Sebastian had started on the smaller one. I worked on the one for my master and hummed to myself as I iced. Strawberries were chopped and some grated chocolate went on top. I looked at the chocolate I had bought before taking a small square for myself.

"Funtom?" Sebastian asked and I nodded as I covered my mouth.

"It's the nicest I could buy in Houndsworth," I replied, "a few villagers swear by Cotton's chocolate…but it has an unpleasant aftertaste, so I don't use it."

"Do you taste everything?" someone asked from behind me.

"Sometimes," I said as I popped a strawberry into my mouth, "I didn't taste the stew or the main dinner. But I tasted the tea this afternoon."

"The one you informed your friend Janice about," Sebastian said low enough for me to hear.

"Do you want to taste it?" I asked and four heads nodded.

I located the tin and poured five teaspoons in before boiling water. I set it aside with a timer for the servants and they held their cups cheerfully.

"How bad is it?" Sebastian asked me as he finished his cake.

"Coffee and Darjeeling wage war," I whispered back as I picked up the cake and walked towards the dining room, "Enjoy!"

I heard two of them spit it out after the first mouthful, the tap running as they tried to get rid of the aftertaste. I found myself smiling as I went in and saw they were still eating. Phantomhive looked up at my approach, and saw the cake.

"Dessert is ready," I said as I put it on the trolley, "would either of you like a drink with the cake?"

"My usual, Elena," Berrymore said.

"Earl Grey," Phantomhive said and I nodded before going back into the kitchen.

The sight was a funny one. The two blonds were wrestling, trying to see who could drink the most. The plum haired woman was at the sink, washing her mouth out as the older gentleman sat with another glass in his hands. By the looks of it, he was drinking lemonade.

"So, did you enjoy it?" I asked and realised Sebastian wasn't there, "where did Sebastian go?"

"He said he had to go out, that he'd be back later," the plum haired woman said before putting her mouth back to the tap.

"Oh, alright," I said as I made up a cup of coffee and a cup of Earl Grey.

I brought them back on a tray and set them near their respective owners before cutting into the cake. I collected their dinner dishes and put the cake before them, watching as Berrymore took small bites as Phantomhive took spoonfuls.

"The meal was similar to one I would have at my estate," the Earl stated once he had finished.

"London, correct?" Berrymore asked, drinking his coffee.

"Yes," Phantomhive replied, knowing he knew already.

"If you will excuse me," Berrymore said as he left the table and dropped his napkin on his half-finished cake, "I have a few errands I need to complete. My maid will be here should you require anything."

He didn't allow the Earl to reply and ran out of the room. I watched the door close, wondering what was so important…when my watch started to beep. I looked down, and realised it was nearly time for me to leave the premises as well. I hadn't realised it was so late!

"Is there anything else I can get you?" I asked the Earl as he sipped his tea.

"I'll be retiring to my room after this," he said sadly, as if he were missing something. His face from earlier, the boy who was bored floated by in my head before I shook those thoughts away.

"Sir, is there something you wish to do?" I asked and he looked up at me.

"No," he replied, "I only wish I had packed a book or two to read while I stay here."

"A book?" I asked and he nodded, "you didn't?" and he shook his head, "would a library suffice?"

He gave me a curious glance and I checked my watch again. I would need to start walking now to be back before midnight.

"There's a library?" the Earl asked and I nodded.

"Do you want me to show you it?" I asked him and he nodded, putting down his cup, "then follow me."

I turned to the mantelpiece and retrieved a candle and holder before lighting it. I held it a foot from me as I left the dining room, making sure the Earl followed as I went up the stairs and headed towards his room. I walked passed it, seeing no one within as I located the next set of stairs. The Earl was watching it curiously as I climbed the stairs.

"Be careful, a few of the boards are loose," I said as I got to the locked door, "can you hold this a moment?"

He took the candlestick as I retrieved the keys from my hip and found the library key. I unlocked the door, taking out a folded knife in the process. The Earl saw it, I could feel him tense.

"Just stay here a moment, sir," I whispered as I crept inside.

We sometimes had people sneak into the library with the intent to kill Berrymore. But I locked the door every evening, and most people were thwarted until morning. However, there were a few who missed my lock up and I found wandering the house. It was truly a nightmare for me to deal with. I spotted the young man near the back, a gun in his hands as he levelled it at me.

"Just stay out of this, Elena!" the man snapped as I made him see the knife.

"You are on Berrymore lands, and I am obligated to remove you. Should you resist, I have this knife. Now, will you resist?"

I heard the shot, knowing he thought I was some weak little girl. I looked down and saw the small hole in my sleeve, blood pulsed out and was illuminated by the moonlight. The bullet had only scratched me…that was something.

"I'm so glad you decided to resist," I whispered, charging forward with the knife.

* * *

(Ciel's POV)

I could something crashing inside, and wondered what was going on. But by the time I went to open the door, the maid was standing there, a smile on her face and her hands hidden behind her back. The knife was gone as she took the candle from me and led the way into the library. She lit a fire and showed me to a small sofa.

"There's a blanket on the arm," she said softly as the fire caught, "it will take a while before this room is warm. The books in here range from classic to factual. I'm sure you'll find something."

She turned to face me, and I saw blood on her arm and some on her bodice. Her hair was a little askew but nothing of especial notice.

"The windows do stay locked in here," she said, "but I don't recommend staying in here for too long. We sometimes have…rats enter during the night."

She went to the door and pointed to the table in front of me.

"The panic button is there, on the lion's head," she said but I couldn't see it, so she walked over and pointed to a button done into the lion's skull. She pressed on it, sending a sharp sound through the room.

"I'll hear that anywhere in the house and be with you shortly," she said.

She left me then, and I looked at the lion's head. Did they really need such extremes here in Houndsworth?

* * *

(Elena's POV)

I walked down to the kitchen and picked up my spoiled basket, added a tin of tea and some leftovers from the stew and vegetables. I grabbed my coat, glancing to the table to see the servants were anxious. I could hear the sound of the panic button echoing, so I walked to the door and pulled a switch to turn it off.

"What was that?" the woman asked me.

"It's the panic button for the library," I replied, "if it rings, do go see if your master is alright. Here," I held out the library key, "take your master out and lock the door behind the four of you. I'll deal with any…rats in the morning."

"Aren't you worried about the plague?" Finny whispered.

"The rats are…never mind," I mumbled as I put my hood up, "I'll be back around midnight. If Sebastian returns before I do, tell him I've gone to speak to a friend of mine."

I left it on that note and closed the door behind me. I started the walk towards the uninhabitable house in the middle of the forest. I had found it one day while I had wandered as a child. It had been rundown, so every summer, I had gone and made it something for me to use as a child. Toys were brought over, blankets, lanterns. But when I reached eleven, I had started working as a farmhand, and had no spare time to visit my little house. It had made the perfect spot some months ago when Annie Halford had come to me, desperate.

Her parents had plans to send her to a nunnery to have her child without ruining their name with her activity. She didn't want to leave, scared of what the nuns would do to her. So I had offered this house and she had jumped at the offer. She had been there for the last five months, and every few days, I went to the house to give her food and something to drink. I was her only connection with the outside world, something she treasured.

I navigated the familiar path until I found the rotten gate. I pushed it open and walked to the door, which I unlocked and stepped into the smoky hell that Annie had called home.

"Stop burning!" I heard her voice call out, but her figure was invisible.

"Annie?" I said as I closed the door behind me, "are you in here?"

"Elena?" her voice said and her footsteps told me she was moving closer, before she appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, "oh hey. I thought you were coming tomorrow."

Her mousy brown hair was up in some sort of bun that made her face taunt. Her blue eyes were lined with blood vessels which meant she had been in front of smoke for a while now. Her dress was a touch snug on her, and she pulled at the bodice as if seeking more room than what was on offer for her pregnancy bump.

"Are you burning dinner?" I asked as I took off my coat.

"Kind of," she replied and gave me a smile, "fix it?"

"I brought meat," I said as I grabbed her handkerchief to wrap around my mouth and nose before catching my basket again, "I'll make you something."

I made her a bowl of meat, some rice (in the bottom cupboard from the last visit) and some vegetables. I set it in front of her with some tea and she eyed it warily.

"Please tell me that's not some shit mix from Janice's shop," she said, giving me puppy dog eyes.

"No, this was leftover at the estate. It's some flavoured Darjeeling," I said and she sipped it, smiled and went back to dinner.

"So…not from Janice's?" she asked with a mouthful of food in her mouth.

"No, I think Berrymore imported it from Germany," I replied and she clapped her hands before going back to dinner.

"You were hurt," she said as she finished and pointed to my arm, "another rat?"

"Yeah, just as I was bringing the guest up to see the books," I whispered to her as I opened the windows to let the smoke out.

"Oh, the Earl, right?" she asked and I nodded, "is he cute?"

"He's thirteen!" I said.

"He can still be cute, you know," and I threw a pillow at her head, "hey!"

"That's just wrong on so many levels, and you know it!" I said and she started laughing.

"I needed a good laugh, Leny," she said with a smile.

"Sorry I can't visit more," I said to her and she shook her head.

"I wouldn't expect you to. You are already running a fine line. I wouldn't ask you to get on the wrong side of Berrymore."

"It must get lonely here," I whispered and she shrugged her shoulders.

"It's quiet…but you left books here for me to read, so I pass the time," and she looked me over again, "what about you? You still having those dreams?"

"Yeah," I whispered to her.

"Maybe they'll pass soon," she said, giving me a big smile, "I'll pray for it."

"You don't need to," I whispered and she shrugged her thin shoulders.

"What else are friends for?" she asked me and I smiled.

"Thanks Annie," I said as I sat down beside her.

"So, tell me…what happened today?!" she said, bouncing in her seat like an excitable child.

"The Earl arrived, he wants to buy Berrymore Castle. But my master said he won't sell it. I went into town to get shopping and…" and I remembered what had happened in town, catching Annie's attention.

"And what?" she asked.

"Janice tried to kill me," I whispered.

"How?"

"I bought tea off her and she gave me a tin for free…and it was full of poisonous spiders," I whispered.

"How did you know?"

"I was with someone who told me," I replied, "and in another tin there was a note saying the Church isn't happy with me."

"Because of your dreams?" Annie asked and I nodded, "I'd hate to be you, Leny."

"Yeah…" I mumbled as Annie held me close to her.

"You'll be fine," she whispered to me, "we'll survive all of this."

I felt tears starting to form as Annie held me, before they poured down my face onto her dress. She rubbed my back as I cried, allowing me that. I stayed crying for ten minutes before I started hiccupping.

"Feel better?" she asked and I nodded, "you should start heading back. You don't want to be outside when the Hound is doing his runs."

"Are you sure?" I asked her and she nodded.

"I'll see you tomorrow?"

"I'll have some shopping for you," I answered as I stood and put my coat back on, "if you get worried, come to the estate. I'll mind you for the night."

"It would be like a sleepover," she whispered and I saw her eyes becoming burdened.

I looked around the small house, knowing it was often too quiet to be pleasant, and no matter how many times you sat here and tried to read, you couldn't settle. This house had a way of making you feel lonely. I looked back at Annie as she picked at her blouse, and knew she didn't want me to go. She wanted someone to talk to, and as I was the only one who knew she was here, I was all there was. I only came every three or four days, giving her enough food to last her until then. But when I left, she seemed quick to smile, quick to close the door. Now I saw she was lonely.

"Do you have nightclothes?" I asked her and she shook her head, "then grab your coat."

"Why?" she asked as she did as I asked.

"We better hurry. I have to sneak you up to my room before Berrymore comes back," I said as I caught her hand.

She gave me a sad smile before nodding, following me outside. I locked the house up and we made our way back to the estate. Annie took in deep breaths, her eyes finding new things to look at. She looked so small, so dainty. She was younger than I was.

"I'll bring you shopping if you want," I whispered and she shook her head.

"People will remember me," she whispered in reply as I helped her across a stream, "it's better if I'm not there."

"Then you better make a list," I said and she smiled, telling me about her plans for a nursery for her baby.

Those words got us through the next part of our walk until I opened the gate onto the Berrymore property. I opened the back door slowly and beckoned her to follow. She put her finger to her lips as she crept in.

"Elena?" a voice asked and we both froze.

I looked for the speaker and saw Sebastian sitting at the table, his eyes assessing.

"Sebastian," I said as I pushed Annie to the stairs, "just…helping the new maid find her way."

I got her up the stairs, the two of us in a fit of uncontrollable giggles before I opened my bedroom door. Originally, my room had three beds in it but I had left it with two. The spare was often for laying out clothes so I tidied it and motioned for Annie to take it.

"Wow, soft," she said with a smile, as she sat down.

"I have a spare nightdress in the dresser there," I said and she sighed, "it's elastic."

"Perfect!" and she went looking for it, "who was that man downstairs? Is he the new butler?"

"No, he's the butler for the Earl," I answered, "I'm still the only staff here."

"Well…he looked like he wanted to talk to you," she said and I froze, remembering him telling me hours ago that he would tell me about these dreams of mine.

"I forgot! Can I leave you here?" and she nodded, "I'll be back later. Stay in here in the morning, I don't need to explain you to Berrymore."

"Will do!" she said as she found the nightdress and went back to the bed, "it'll be nice to sleep in a comfy bed."

I left her to change as I went down to the kitchen, where Sebastian was. He had a cup of tea in front of him, and another one on the chair beside him. I took off my coat and walked over, and he motioned for me to take the other cup.

"I assume that isn't a new maid," he said and I shrugged, "and is in fact the friend you told the others you were going to visit."

"She lives in a place that's…really lonely," I replied, "I thought she might prefer the company."

"Has she done this before?"

"No, this is her first time in this house," I answered and sipped the tea. It tasted amazing, like everything perfect had been blended down into tea leaves for him to boil.

"I looked into your note," he said as he put the message down on the table, "the village is talking about something coming up involving you, but the details are vague. You just need to avoid going into the village alone for now."

"That bad?" I asked and he nodded, "wow."

"Seems the Church has been unnerved by a rumour of a possession, yours by all accounts."

"Possession?" I asked as I coughed on tea.

"Your dreams, hearing voices. They believe a demon may have possessed you and they wish to expel it."

"But...it's not like that," I said, trying to get him to see that, "I'm not possessed!"

"I know that, I'm just informing you what the village thinks."

"So…what do you think this is?"

"Who were your parents?" he asked.

"Em…Martin and Andrea Hamilton," I replied, wondering why he wanted to know my parentage.

"Were either or both of them demons?" he asked and I coughed on more tea.

"No…no neither of them were," I whispered, "I was Martin's step-daughter. My mother was already pregnant with me when she married him. My biological father is Richard Cummins."

"I've heard of him," Sebastian said, not sipping the tea, "and he is a demon."

"So...I'm half demon or something?" I asked and he nodded, "but how does this relate to the voices?"

"That is why you hear voices calling your name," he replied, "demons can survive in this world but that have to possess a tether. Something that unconsciously holds them here. Otherwise, they find themselves in an alternative dimension. But to find that tether, one must sign a contract with a human."

"A contract?"

"The demon completes an objective in exchange for the human's soul," he replied.

"So…why are they calling me?"

"A human reaches a point in their existence where, they lose their faith in God or whatever watches over them," Sebastian replied dismissively, "and when that happens, their soul becomes unclaimed. These situations normally arise when the human is desperate, and they reach out for assistance. What you're hearing, are those humans reaching out for assistance. They are willing to form contracts, for you to fulfil an objective in exchange for their souls."

"And what would I want with a soul?" I asked.

"Demons eat them," he replied.

I sipped tea to avoid replying to that comment. He had said it in a similar manner I would, "Annie is upstairs in my bedroom." It was like a normal conversation piece to him.

"So…am I supposed to…form contracts with these people?" I asked after a few minutes.

"You don't require a tether, as you are half-human to begin with. You can form these contracts if you want to, but you will be doing something in exchange for a soul."

"And what if I don't want to eat them?"

"I knew a demon who didn't eat their souls. She put them in a locket around her neck. She told me it kept her company when she was lonely."

"How do you know all of this?" I asked him and he gave me a smile that suggested I should already know.

"Elena, I am a demon," he answered calmly and I felt my heart stop for a beat.

"What? Who's your human?"

"Ciel Phantomhive," he answered just as calmly.

"So…you can eat his soul…"

"When my contract with him has concluded," he answered, "but I cannot divulge the particulars of that contract to you."

"Human/demon confidentiality?" I asked and he laughed, and it was a nice sound.

"You could say that," he replied once he had stopped.

"So, these voices I hear, are people looking for my help. But I don't need to help them, because I'm already here in this dimension. That sum it up?" and he nodded, "so I'm not crazy?"

"You're perfectly normal," he answered, "the village thinks your possessed but what's an exorcism?"

"An exorcism?!" I said, and saw he was nodding, "what?"

"That's what the Church is most likely planning," Sebastian replied, "and should that fail, they may consider more drastic routes."

"Like?"

"Lobotomy," Sebastian answered, "ways to make you silent forever."

"But…" I started crying, seeing doctors strapping me into a chair and preparing to lobotomise me, "Sebastian…I…"

"Just stay quiet. If anyone asks you if you're still having your dreams, say you had some milk tea and it seemed to pass. You think it might have been the stress from our upcoming visit that made you dream and feel you heard voices."

"Will that work?" I asked, sounding desperate.

"It might," he replied, "but should the Church catch you and try to exorcise a demon, you will also have to stay quiet afterwards."

"Sebastian…I didn't realise it was this serious!"

"It only occurred to me when you were given the tea," he said to me, "that seemed drastic, killing someone like that. I decided to look into what you had told me."

"I could be lobotomised!" I cried, holding my head tight, "they'll destroy a part of me!"

"Shush now, Elena, you're running ahead. If you keep going, you will end up lobotomised, no one will be able to save you. Now, at the end of this bid with your master, you'll come out of town with us. Find a new job between then and now, and inform them you have one last guest before you can leave. We will deliver you to them, and you should be safe. Pick a family who won't have outside contact with Houndsworth and if you can help it, get the hell out of this village. Pretend it was time to move on. Don't leave a forwarding address and just leave."

"Will that work?" I asked and he nodded.

"I'll inform the others that you've had an issue with some of the locals. Threatening letters and the like, and you confided in me. One of them will be with you at all times until we are ready to leave."

"I…" I couldn't say much, knowing I would be having nightmares tonight.

"You should get some sleep before tomorrow," he said as the front door opened and "Elena!" was called.

"Coming!" I called back as I stood.

I ran out to the hall to see Lord Berrymore limping up the stairs. He pointed to the door which was slightly ajar.

"Lock the doors now," he said and I locked the front door.

"Goodnight, master," I said and he waved it away as Sebastian came to join me in the hall.

"I'll escort you tonight," he said as I went back to the kitchen and locked that door before checking the windows.

"I'll tell your master he should leave," I said to him, "he can't stay here with it as dangerous as it is. What if he were caught in the crosshairs of all of this?!"

"I wouldn't allow it," Sebastian replied, "if he dies by someone else's hand, I cannot eat his soul."

"Your demonic rules are strict," I muttered as he walked ahead of me on the stairs.

"I'll get him ready for bed, come in into the room in five minutes," Sebastian said as he opened and left me in the hall alone.

I stood outside the door, my hand raised to knock it as I watched my clock. The seconds seemed slow, but it was while I was focusing on this, that I heard something move upstairs, somewhere in the library. Another rat…and I was no longer in the mood to deal with them. Once my watch said five minutes had passed, I knocked on the door gently as I would with anyone else. I had to make the Earl see how dangerous it was here…

"Come in," the Earl called out as I opened the door slowly.

"I apologise for calling so late," I said gently, keeping my head down.

"What is it that you need? My young master is about to retire for the evening," Sebastian stated and I looked up to see he was assembling bedclothes.

"I have a request to make," I answered, looking at the back of the Earl's head, "leave the castle, leave the village completely. You mustn't stay here."

"Why is that?" Phantomhive asked, not sparing me a glance while reading his book.

"I can't say," I replied, not sure what I could say to make him leave now.

It didn't matter as at that moment, the hound decided to make an appearance. It suited me fine, gave new meaning to my request. It was better than saying the Church was out to get me; that was certain.

"No, the demon hound!" I said, feigning shakes, "it's coming!"

"The what?" the Earl asked, giving me his full attention. I looked out towards the window, making sure he thought my fear was real. It seemed to work, which I was grateful for. I even cried when a shadow appeared on the curtain, not sure if the hound knew how desperately I needed to get the Earl out of here.

"Sebastian!" the Earl ordered and the butler ran to the curtains to pull them apart.

"What was that thing?" he asked as he walked towards the window. I remained where I was, certain I was unneeded at this point.

"Master, look there," Sebastian said and the Earl leaned closer, for Sebastian to give me a wary smile.

"What is that?" he asked and Sebastian walked away to put the bedclothes under a pillow before walking to my side.

"Can you open the door to allow us a better view?" Sebastian asked and I nodded, not sure what they had seen.

I opened the door quickly and ran down the hall, not sure what was going on. It then caught up with me…and I froze, stumbling a little. The demon hound had made his appearance at the estate…which meant…

"There's a bad dog," I croaked as I touched my throat.

I picked up my skirts and ran to the door, struggling to put the key in the lock as the Earl caught up with me. Who had more dogs than they should? Who had been murdered this night? I cried in frustration when the key kept missing the lock before I dropped my keys and stood on my toes to pull down the spare. I stuck it into the lock and opened the door to step out. If there was a bad dog…the villagers would be up here shortly seeking guidance.

I let the Earl walk passed me, as he knew where he wanted to go. He walked towards the road slowly and touched something that glowed an illuminous green. He ran his bare finger down it and viewed the substance. I had seen it before, and it made me feel agitated.

"Master!" the woman called.

"Elena!" the younger blond called.

"What's going on here? What's all the fuss about?" the older blond stated.

The four other servants had run out, probably after they had heard the howl. I stepped closer to the door, wondering where Annie was. She would have heard it, so I looked to the four.

"Did you see another girl? Brown hair?" I asked and it was the older grey haired man who said anything.

"Hohoho!" he stated, which I took to mean he had.

"Yeah," the older blond commented.

"Where is she?" I asked.

"She was in your room, do you know her?" the older blond asked and I nodded.

"Stay here," I said as I walked back into the house.

I would have to alert Berrymore, but that could wait until I had ascertained where Annie was. I went to the kitchen and saw it was empty. I then walked to the servants' stairs, and saw the small pregnant girl sitting on the stairs. A blanket was wrapped haphazardly around her shoulders and she looked like she was crying.

"Annie?" I asked and she jumped at my voice, "are you alright?"

"Who was the bad dog?" she asked and I shrugged my shoulders, "oh."

"I'll go find out, just stay in your room," I whispered as I got her standing.

"Sure," she whispered before disappearing from sight.

I went back to the kitchen to see the older man was walking towards me, but was taller than before.

"I will remain here, miss. I'll keep an eye on your friend while you are away," he said and I smiled.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Tanaka," he answered, "and you?"

"Elena," and we shook hands before I wished him goodnight. I returned to the front to see the servants, Sebastian and Ciel were still there.

"What was that noise about?" the older blond asked me once I had returned.

"The demon hound," I answered as I took my spot near the guest.

"Demon hound?!" the three servants said, sounding scared.

"It brings great catastrophe to the village. Anyone who dares to defy my master will be punished by the demon hound. That's the law here, there's no way to stop it."

"Elena," someone said and I looked towards the road, spying a few villagers making their way up to me, "please find Lord Berrymore at once. That demon hound has come again."

"Who was the bad dog?" I asked them.

They averted their eyes, and I stepped closer, my heart racing.

"Who was it?!" I snapped, making everyone jump.

"James," a soft feminine voice replied, "it was James, Elena."

I stopped breathing, stopped feeling anything but numb. James…no…not him.

Images floated by in my head of my memories with him. His soft brown hair and his deep laugh. His hand on my head when I had cried. Kissing me under the barn in his house. Those big brown eyes watching me, telling me he loved me. Playing chase with him and Scott before Father came home…my sweet friend.

"Elena?" a voice asked from behind me and I turned towards the house.

"I'll inform Lord Berrymore," I whispered, not seeing the path in front of me.

* * *

 _"Make me a promise, Elena?" James's voice echoed around me, "promise me you'll be my friend…"_

 _"Of course," my whispered reply echoed, "we'll be the best of friends!"_

* * *

I entered the house and went up the stairs slowly, and heard deep snoring from my master's bedroom. James had asked me once why I worked here, why I put up with Berrymore at all. I had told him it was a job, and money.

I knocked on the door before stepping in, seeing my master was twisted in the sheets and snoring heavily.

"Master?" I called and he mumbled in his sleep, "Master, there has been an incident."

"It can wait until morning," Berrymore replied and I clenched my fists tight, my nails piercing my palms.

"It cannot wait until morning, Lord Berrymore," I called back, and he turned to look at me.

The blanket was wrapped around his waist, displaying scars on his chest from incidents while he was out hunting. His eyes appeared dead at this distance to me, and for one brief moment, I wanted to slap him.

"What is so important?" he asked as he sat up to rub his eyes.

"The demon hound has taken another victim," I answered and he looked over at me, a smile creeping along his lips.

"Was it the guest?"

"No, it was James," I answered, feeling the anger rolling off me in waves.

"I'll be down shortly," he stated, "that means you leave now, Elena."

I didn't respond and closed the door behind me. I walked back out to the guest and towards the group of villagers.

"Lead me to him," I said as I started walking.

"And the Lord?"

"He'll be with us shortly," I replied and we started the trek down to the village.

"We're coming with," the older blond stated, catching the attention of the villagers.

"And who are you?"

"Bard," he answered, "MeyRin, Finny, Sebastian," he pointed them out, "and the Earl Phantomhive."

"Oh, the Earl was supposed to visit the village today," a woman muttered before conversation ceased.

The Earl and his servants followed us, but I didn't speak to them. My heart felt heavy, my knees felt weak. Sure, I had seen the sixth dog, but that didn't mean I had informed Berrymore about it. James had been training him, but I wasn't sure why.

Villagers stood gathered around the square and I stepped through the crowds to see him. His clothes were ripped beyond repair, one of his shoes was missing. Bite marks decorated his legs, arms and neck…with the latter decorated with a blue collar and lead. His eyes were open, staring up at space and his arms were out like wings. I walked closer, not seeing my friend on the ground. It couldn't be him, I told myself, it was just someone who looked a lot alike.

"How awful," Bard whispered, his pillow still held tight to his chest. I hadn't noticed he had brought a pillow down with him.

"So that's it then," the Earl commented as he dropped to pick up James's hand to view the bite marks better.

"Stand back! Don't touch!" my master called out and the crowd parted for him to get closer. He stood slightly in front of me, as I had returned to my old spot.

"I see it was James then, he was the bad dog," Berrymore continued in a rather cold way in my opinion.

"Yes, he broke the legal restriction on dog ownership. He had six dogs, one more than is allowed," a male villager said to explain the situation to my master.

"A sixth dog, then this was inevitable," Berrymore stated, bowing his head slightly.

"That's all you can say?!" Bard asked him, "really?"

"This village is under my rule and no other. The demon hound protects that rule. As the guardian of the Berrymore family, it punishes anyone and everyone who dares to challenge me!"

"The white dog is a good dog, a good dog good. The black dog is a bad dog, a bad dog bad. It'll eat your flesh down to the bone, down to the bone. it'll gobble you up until you're gone, until you're gone. By the sun set…" the villagers chanted as James was lifted up.

"I was sure you outsiders were going to be its next prey. You were lucky to have escaped," Berrymore said over his shoulder, "come Elena."

"Yes sir," I said as I followed, only slowing down to walk back to Sebastian, handing him the house key before catching his hand, "keep Annie out of sight."

"Certainly," Sebastian answered and I ran off to catch up with my master.

* * *

I spent the next few hours with James, cleaning him and preparing him for his funeral. At one point, I had stopped to sit beside him, holding his cold hand between both of mine. I was alone here, the only person in the village with the responsibility of washing the dead.

"James," I whispered as I put my head down on his side, "why did you do something so stupid?"

I took off his clothes and heard a rattle before seeing something had fallen out his pocket. I saw it was a message, written quickly so I unfolded it, a small ring falling into my open palm.

"Elena," I whispered as I read it, "this may sound rushed. I want to spend the rest of eternity with you, and since you are no longer betrothed to Scott, I figured I might have a chance. This ring, it was my grandmother's, and it gave her good luck for their marriage. I hope the same will happen for us. Also, I bought another dog. He's a mix, something I thought you might like. I was going to train it before giving it to you, since you haven't had a dog in the last year. I didn't give him a name…"

The writing cut off there, and my tears starting pouring. James had bought the sixth dog for me, he had been planning to propose to me. It made my heart shatter into hundreds of tiny pieces, some too jagged to put back together.

Once I was capable of standing, I went back to work. I dressed him in his best clothes and brushed his hair. He started to look a little like my friend as I closed his eyes and put my necktie in his hand, held tight over his heart.

"James," I whispered to him, "I would have said yes to you."

I left him, turning out the lights early the next morning. The coffin maker would be there shortly to measure him and then a funeral would be planned in a week or so. I walked towards his old home, and for a brief moment, I waited for the door to open and him to step out. He would have greeted me, asked me how I was…

"Not anymore," I croaked as I opened the gate and stepped onto the property.

His five dogs barked before sitting, their eyes avoiding my gaze. Maybe they sensed something wasn't right. I went to the small shed and filled five bowls before letting the dogs eat. I kept them in their cage, hopeful that someone would adopt them. If they weren't…they were put in the baiting pit for Berrymore's dogs to pull apart.

James hadn't put the sixth dog in there so the only other place was the house. I ventured towards it, and heard whimpering from behind the closed door. I took a deep breath and put my hand to the door handle. With a quick glance behind me to make sure no one was watching, I stepped into the house of my departed friend.

I closed the door behind me, and saw that the curtains were pulled back. Blood had marked the walls, dried in from a brutal attack. Was this where James was attacked? Had the hound dragged him to the square for everyone to see?

"Pup?" I called out and heard more whimpering.

"Hello?" I said as I wandered further into the house, "come on out. I promise not to hurt you."

A small dog crawled out a little from under the bed and looked at me, his brown eyes bright with worry. He sniffed the air, before whimpering again. I thought he was going to attack me, until he ran out and put his small paws on my legs, licking my face. What the hell…?

* * *

(2 months previous)

(Dog's POV)

Master held me tight, I was a good boy after all. He put me down on his bed and pulled a box from under that. What was in there? I needed to know what was in there! He put the box beside me and I nudged it with my nose, hoping it would open soon.

"You're going to be living with someone very special," Master's voice said as he opened the box and took out a scarf which he held out to me.

I sniffed it, smelling something friendly. It was like…that weird flower in the garden and some dirt. But it was nice dirt, don't get me wrong.

"She'll love you," he said to me, "I don't know what to call you."

I barked, letting him know I liked the smell as the door was knocked. Master stood and answered it, as that sweet smell entered the house. Master put his hand up, telling me to stay where I was.

"Hi James," a soft voice said, "just calling in to check on you."

"Hi Elena. Is this another one of Berrymore's errands?" Master asked.

"Yeah…"

"Well, I only have the five dogs," Master stated and I lifted my nose to the air, absorbing that sweet smell.

The door closed and Master walked back over to me, his head down as if he was sniffing his top.

"You'll make her happy," Master said as he put his hand on my head, "you'll protect her from all the evil."

* * *

(Elena's POV)

The dog seemed excited to see me, and since I had never seen him before, I couldn't comprehend this attitude of his. But it might help me, because I wouldn't leave him here to be put in the baiting pit. I looked around the room before I spotted an old scarf.

"I thought I lost this months ago," I muttered as I picked it up, "this could be a collar for now."

I tied it carefully around the dog and led him out the back of the house. I could hear some villagers starting their chores. I glanced down at my watch and saw it was half five. I needed to get back to the estate myself to prepare for the morning.

* * *

"Come on!" I said and the dog walked into the kitchen, "up to my room now!"

He was wagging his tail happily as I opened the servants' stairway. The dog walked up slowly, sniffing everything before I managed to get my bedroom door open. He trotted in and jumped up onto my bed before curling under the blankets, nothing visible of him.

"I better start the morning chores…" I sighed before leaving the dog and Annie to sleep.

* * *

 **So that's the first chapter for Elena Hamilton's POV :) I know it was a long one, and I haven't finished the first of the Houndsworth Arc episodes yet :P The next chapter should be up soon. So what do you think so far? There's no Angela, but the demon hound is still there. And the Church thinks Elena is possessed by a demon? Talk to you all soon and please leave a review of what you think so far :)**


	6. Chapter 6: A Fresh Start

**Hi everyone :) Final chapter ever with Elena Hamilton in it. And then we're back at the circus! I hope you all enjoy this, and it was a final goodbye to my first OC. Thanks for reading :)**

* * *

Once the dog had made itself at home on my bed, a blanket wrapped around him, I checked on Annie. She was mumbling in her sleep, and had a slight fever. Poor thing must be ill, and the pregnancy wouldn't be helping her any. I would get her something, if I could. I found a cloth and dampened it before putting it over her head, hearing her moan before snuggling back to sleep on the spare bed.

I sighed as I left, leaving the door open a crack in case she called for me, and went to the kitchen. It was only six, so breakfast could be started for half seven to be on the table for half eight. I'm sure my master and the Earl would be out of their beds by then. I grabbed the remains of the laundry and started washing it slowly, keeping my eyes on the suds rather than anything else. I didn't want to think of Sebastian's warning, and yet, my mind wandered. Would it hurt to be exorcised of a fictional demon? Something told me, the lobotomy would be so much worse. I had heard of them in the past, and had never considered it a possibility for myself. I wasn't insane…was I?

I shrugged my shoulders and went back to work, trying not to think and instead hummed a song my mother had sung to me as a girl. It had eased the weight on my shoulders and promised me safety. It kept me busy until the laundry was washed and I wrung it out to get rid of excess. It was as I was flattening them that I found something odd. One pair of my master's hunting trousers was ripped, the calf pulled at roughly. Had he done this during a hunting incident recently? I set them aside to repair as I took the damp clothes to hang up.

The Earl had given down a few things himself by the looks of it so those were washed carefully before being put on the line. My master had never worn anything as fine as the Earl's clothes, and I didn't wish for them to be ruined should that be the case.

"El…ena?" a voice croaked and I looked away from the laundry to see a young boy.

His hair was matted with blood, his clothes ripped around the legs as if he had been in a fight with the demon hound. He looked bad, and that was saying something.

"Jacob?" I asked as I put my basket down, "Jacob Riley?"

"Please…?" he croaked as he got closer, "you have to stop him…"

"Who?" I asked as something was pushed into my hands, and the boy collapsed at my feet.

"Berrymore," he croaked, and I got down on my knees and put his head on my lap, "he killed James."

"He killed James…? No, the hound…"

"Berrymore…is…the…hound," Jacob whispered as he put a hand to my face, leaving blood on my cheek, "he attacked me last night."

This boy was only nine, I had seen him in the village a few times. I ran my hands through his hair slowly, wondering had Berrymore done this to a child? It was possible, as my master did consider anything was valid when you were in danger. Had he seen this child as a danger? I opened my hands and saw something I wished I hadn't. Resting on my palm was a scrap of material from a pair of trousers I had set aside to repair this morning. This boy had dropped this scrap to me…and it told me Berrymore had done something. Was it possible, that the dog upstairs had pulled this from Berrymore as he defended James, and the boy had retrieved it?

"When did you get this?" I asked him, wanting him to confirm these thoughts of mine.

"Berrymore kicked the dog," he croaked, "and the dog crawled under the bed, where I was hiding. James said the dog was a gift for someone special, and I was supposed to deliver it with an envelope. I watched it all happen and when Berrymore left…I found the scrap on the floor near James' body before Berrymore returned to bring it outside. He saw me…and attacked me. Elena…."

He closed his eyes and I bent my head in prayer for him. This boy had probably been in the woods while I had retrieved the dog.

"The dog is safe," I whispered to him, "I named him Lucky."

"Good…" the boy whispered before he stopped moving, his breathing dropped and I checked his pulse. Five minutes passed before he was gone from this world onto the next. This little boy…I had to tell Mrs Riley her son was dead, he was all she had left in this world. I would bring her him, once I had cleaned him up. She deserved that much. I brought the boy into the kitchen and that was when I saw Sebastian. He looked well rested and had just buttoned his jacket by the looks of it.

"Can you help me?" I asked and he nodded, "can you carry him up to the spare room to be washed?"

Sebastian picked him up easily and I followed behind, gathering small sponges and washes to use on him. Once he was put in the spare room, I prepared the bath and Sebastian put him in, clothes and all. The water quickly turned dark pink as I ran water through his hair, finding a cut over his right ear. Another cut was on the back of his head which I stitched up with sewing thread. I then took off his clothes and washed the rest of him before Sebastian held out clothes for me.

"They are spares of Finny's," Sebastian stated as I got the boy out of the bath and onto a towel.

He was dried and dressed, his hair combed to cover the cuts. I had Sebastian locate a rickshaw which I put him on, only to find Finny was coming along.

"You don't need to," I said as I attached my horse, Dante, to the harness.

"Sebastian suggested I keep you company," he replied as he got into the driver seat beside me, pulling his hood up as I did.

"Suggested" most likely meant Sebastian had ordered him to come with me.

"Who's going to prepare breakfast?" I asked.

"Sebastian said he could cover it for this morning," Finny replied as I gathered the reins.

I guided Dante out of the estate and towards the edge of town. Mrs Riley had been a friend of my mother's and had also helped me prepare her and my father for their funerals. I only hoped she had someone with her. No one needed to hear the news I was about to deliver alone.

I found her house, a little fire damaged from the year previous and I disembarked to knock on her door. It was early, I wouldn't expect her to be awake just yet. I was surprised when she answered, fully dressed with a smile on her face.

"Elena?" she asked as I took down my hood, "dear girl, it's been an age since I saw you last!"

"Hello Mrs Riley," I said, making sure my face stayed even.

"What can I help you with? I'm making a cake for Leonard, you remember Leo don't you?"

"Leo Oswald?" I asked and she nodded, "yes, I do."

"He asks about you," she gushed, "since Scott and you both broke your engagement, why not Leo?"

"Sure," I whispered, not wanting to mention the ring James has left me, "Mrs Riley, there's something I need to tell you."

"What is it, dear?" she asked and I made sure to keep eye contact.

"Jacob-"

"He'll be with us shortly," she said with another smile, "he went to do a job for James. Poor boy probably was on his way when he heard the news of James' death."

"Jacob heard it," I whispered to her, and she stopped talking to look at me, "Mrs Riley, he was there when the hound took James."

"No…"

"He saw it all…and the hound…"

"No…please don't tell me Jake is…" and I took her hand and brought her over to the rickshaw where Finny pulled a little of the sheet back, exposing Jacob's face.

"He was there when James was taken," I whispered to her as she put her hands to her mouth, the tears falling from her eyes, "and the hound didn't leave a witness."

"How do you know this?" she whispered.

"I went to the house," I lied, "to retrieve clothes for James when I found Jacob."

"Oh my boy!" Mrs Riley broke down and fell to her knees, her hands on her son's shoulders, "not my baby!"

We waited for her to gather some part of herself as Finny carried the boy into her home. She could take care of the rest of his arrangements, and he would be buried around the same time as James. Finny and I left Mrs Riley as Mr Richards arrived and kept her company. There was nothing else to be done here so I got back onto the rickshaw and guided it back to the estate.

"Was that the first time you've done something like that?" Finny asked and I shook my head.

"The hound has taken a great many victims," I whispered, "it's my job to prepare them for their funerals and make sure their families find them. James was an orphan, so he will be buried at the village's expense."

Finny stayed quiet after that as we made our way up the drive and behind the castle. I dismounted and undid Dante from the harness, putting him back in the stable with fresh hay. I then returned to see Finny walk into the kitchen and I followed, seeing Sebastian setting breakfast on plates to be put on the trolley.

"Your dress is stained on the skirt," Sebastian said and I looked down, seeing mud and blood there. At least I had washed my face and hands when I had washed Jacob.

"My apron should cover it for now," I replied as I tied off my apron.

"The breakfasts are ready and both our master and yours are in the dining room waiting. Coffee and tea have already been delivered so it is just breakfast now."

I nodded and brought the trolley into the dining room. I set the dishes down and waited by the fireplace, knowing it was the dimmest spot in the room, easy to hide the stain on my skirt instead of the light illuminating the apron. I kept my head down, my hands loosely wrapped around my stomach to cover the gurgling there. I would have food soon, I would eat some toast or some leftover stew. I wouldn't be hungry for much longer.

"Your maid is rather quiet this morning," the Earl muttered and that made Berrymore look over at me.

"Exceedingly so," Berrymore commented, "Elena, when did you return?"

"At six this morning," I replied.

"And you spent this morning with James' corpse?" he asked, hoping the use of 'corpse' would make me fidget. It did.

"I was with his _body_ , sir," I replied, putting emphasis on the word 'body'.

"The coffin maker went to measure his _corpse_ and found you weren't there," my master said as he sipped his coffee, "that is rather curious, isn't it, Elena?"

"Yes sir, it is," I whispered.

"He rang me at four to say you weren't there," he continued and I looked away from him, "where did you go, Elena?"

"I was with Jam-"

"Don't you dare lie to me, you bitch!" Berrymore snapped, slamming his hands down on the table, spilling the Earl's tea.

"I-"

"You will be punished for your insolence," Berrymore stated as he walked towards me, his hand raised to slap me, "how dare you lie to me!"

It smarted, that slap. It shook me right down to my core, made me feel like a child being scolded. He kicked me hard in my stomach and I retched, leaving a stain on the rug which got me another slap. When he stopped, he was breathing heavily and left the room without a word. I couldn't tell him about the dog, or that I knew about Jacob Riley. I had to lie…it protected what I held dear.

A hand rubbed my back slowly and I coughed, knowing I probably smelled rotten. I looked up, ready to say thank you when I saw the person who was at my side, was Earl Phantomhive. His hand rested on my back.

"I don't think you can ruin the carpet anymore," he said, giving me a gentle smile.

"Sorry," I whispered, catching my breath as I sat back on my heels, "I apologise for my insolence."

"It didn't bother me," he replied before helping me to stand.

He motioned for someone to enter the room and they took my other side. I glanced up and saw it was Sebastian, his hand resting on my elbow as he guided me towards a chair. I sat down and wrapped my arms around my gut, feeling tender. There was nothing else for it, I was starving, tired and now sore. It just wasn't my week…was it? My stomach decided to growl, loudly, then. I was embarrassed, and wished to bury my head in the dirt to forget it. I'm certain I blushed, further acknowledging my embarrassment.

"When was the last time you had a proper meal?" the Earl asked.

"Two or three days ago," remembering I had skipped breakfast to do laundry on a few occasions, even forfeiting dinner to visit Annie.

"You must be near starving," Sebastian pointed out, "those few bites you take wouldn't be enough."

He left the room and I looked at the flower arrangement for something to do. I didn't want to admit that it was horrible being here. Sebastian returned with a bowl and set it down beside me, a fork and spoon sat nearby for my use.

"Some cut fruit with porridge," Sebastian stated, "it should give you enough energy for today."

I nodded and picked up my spoon to take a bite. It was nice, but made my stomach clench horribly. I left the spoon hovering for a moment to let me stomach settle before taking another bite.

"I have a few questions for you, Elena," the Earl stated simply as another cup of tea was poured for him.

"Sure," I whispered as I ate slowly.

"When did the hound of Berrymore first appear?" he asked and I stopped eating to think.

"About…six years ago," I replied after a moment, "we had the curfew then too."

"Have you ever met this hound?"

"No," I replied and then thought on it, "no, but I heard it once. It was in a house I passed on my way home, and it sounded like a dog attacking the people inside. I kept walking and told my parents, but they said I shouldn't pry."

"Did you know any of the victims?" he asked and I nodded, "who?"

"Well, when it first started, it could have been your neighbour, a pet…anyone. But Berrymore brought out a proclamation that stated the legal restriction on dogs, and then…well, it was anyone stupid enough to exceed that."

"Like James?" he asked and I froze, feeling cold all of a sudden.

"Yes, like him," I whispered.

"You were close to him then?" he asked.

"My best friend," I replied, "and he died for a dog he bought for someone else. Him and another boy, Jacob Riley."

"Who was this someone else?"

"Me," I whispered, "he bought a dog for me. Jacob was supposed to deliver it to me with an envelope…"

"Oh," the Earl said and I put my hand in the pocket of my apron, wondering if I should tell him. Would he believe me about the scrap?

"Earl," I whispered and he looked over the rim of his cup at me, "is it possible that there is no hound, but a deranged man?"

"What makes you think that?" he asked, giving me his full attention.

I took the scrap of material from my pocket and put it out on the table near the Earl's hand. He picked it up and viewed it over, before putting it back down for Sebastian to take. I wasn't sure where he put it, and didn't bother to ask.

"Jacob Riley, the other boy who died, brought that up to me this morning. He said Lord Berrymore was the hound; that he had kicked the other dog away and Jacob had retrieved that. But Berrymore had returned and found Jacob, so attacked him."

"Where is this Jacob now?"

"With his mother, and she is probably organising his funeral," I whispered, "he died just outside."

"That was the boy you washed this morning," Sebastian stated and I nodded.

"You believe your master is the culprit?" the Earl asked and I shrugged my shoulders.

"I'm not sure what I believe in anymore," I whispered to him.

"Who is Annie?" he asked and I looked upstairs instinctually.

"I was betrothed once, and he impregnated a girl named Annie. She was told to go to a nunnery and have her baby, but she was scared of what the nuns would do to her. She asked me to help her, so I put her in an abandoned lodge about an hour's walk from here. But before the hound attacked, I brought Annie here. She was lonely and I thought she might want some company."

"Where is she now?" the Earl asked.

"In the servants' rooms," I answered, "she has a bit of a fever, so I'll buy her medicine as soon as I can."

"Sebastian, retrieve medicine for this Annie girl," the Earl ordered, "Elena may have opened this case for us."

"Yes sir," Sebastian replied and left the room.

"You don't have to worry about Annie," I whispered.

"This is my thanks. We were getting nowhere fast with our case. Keep this to yourself, but we are investigating the demon hound with the objective to eliminate it."

"Really?" I whispered and he nodded, "if you need any more help, let me know."

"Master," a voice called and we both looked to the door, spotting Bard, "I was asked to keep an eye on Elena while Sebastian was gone."

"Oh why?" he asked.

"Something about her being threatened," he mumbled as he lit a cigarette.

"When were you threatened?" he asked me and I looked away.

"Sebastian said she was nearly poisoned yesterday when she bought tea, that some people want her dead because they think she's possessed or something. I think he mentioned something about the church…but I'm not sure."

"Elena?" the Earl asked and I looked back at him.

"My friend for the last six years put poisonous spiders in a pot of tea for me to be bitten by. A letter arrived yesterday in your bought tea with the message that the church is not happy with me. Sebastian said it was possible they believe I am possessed by a demon and they wish to exorcise me, or if that doesn't work…your butler mentioned lobotomy."

"This village only gets worse the longer I stay here," the Earl muttered.

I ate my food and left the Earl so I could have a bath. My clothes were again ruined and I only had one more spare uniform, so I would need to speak to the seamstress soon. I sat in the bath with my arms wrapped around my legs, just thinking about what was waiting for me out there. But eventually the water grew cold and I had to get out.

I tied my hair and washed dishes, before I saw I hadn't put all the laundry out. I picked up my basket and remembered what had distracted me: Jacob. I brought it outside and hung up the Earl's clothes carefully, spying the four servants by tree stumps looking depressed.

"Are you alright?" I asked as I moved closer with the laundry and hung up more.

"This has got to be the worst holiday ever," Bard muttered.

"The worst, yes it is," MeyRin grumbled, their low moods almost palpable.

"What's the matter?" another voice asked and I turned to see Sebastian was making his way towards us, his coat on and something hidden behind his back, "you were so excited on the way here."

"Yeah well, that was before," Bard mumbled.

"Don't look so gloomy," the butler replied, putting his hands out to show them a picnic basket and bathing suits, four of them, "we're on holiday. It's a time for relaxing."

"Really?" Finny whispered as Sebastian handed him the items.

"Prepare the carriages, I believe the Earl was to ask for Elena to join us."

I must have looked confused as Sebastian caught my arm and brought me back into the castle. It was there he handed me a small bottle.

"This is the best I could find for Annie in the village," he said to me as he handed it over, "give her two table spoons worth and then let her sleep."

"How often?"

"Two times a day," he replied and I started walking up the stairs, and he shadowed me.

"Was it that dangerous?" I whispered and he nodded.

"Your village is planning something, with whispers of your name on most lips."

I didn't reply as I opened Annie's room and saw her tossing and turning. Lucky had gone to comfort her, but was now whimpering. He wasn't sure what to do. I touched Annie's face and felt it was warmer than before, the cloth long since fallen to the floor. I retrieved a spoon from my cabinet and measured out the amount Sebastian stated before he held Annie up and I poured it down her throat. He rubbed her throat gently until she swallowed each time, and when we had finished, she seemed to have relaxed a little.

"Here," Sebastian held out a cloth to put on her head.

"She's only fourteen," I whispered, "Scott's twenty-four."

"Do her parents know she's here?"

"No, I found her carriage and took her off it in time," I whispered as I touched one of her curls, "she's only a child and she's expecting…"

"It will be a hard life for her," Sebastian whispered, "so you need to stay alive to make it easier."

* * *

I left Lucky by Annie's side, hoping she would find comfort from him while I was gone. I had left her a note in case she woke up, with a small platter of fruit on my bed in case she got hungry. I would need to go shopping soon, possibly this evening. I pulled my cloak's hood up to cover my face and leaned forward, hoping to sneak off the property without attracting too much attention. Sebastian put me in the servants' carriage, their hoods up and their heads bowed like me. It would look like they were disappointed so I blended in.

"Isn't that the Earl?" a woman asked, "is he leaving already?"

"That can't be that ole Earl!" Mr Richards snapped, "just a kid!"

"Yeah, it's just a kid!" a child called out and I could imagine the Earl's expression. Somewhere between annoyance and disinterest.

Tanaka drove our carriage slowly, and when we reached the outskirts, I saw children carrying sticks and stones up to the baiting pit.

"MeyRin?" I whispered and the cloak turned in my direction, "ask them why they're bringing those things to the baiting pit."

"What are you children doing?" MeyRin asked, leaning a little out of the carriage, catching the attention of Barry Berry.

"Our church told our parents to bring these up," Barry replied, "supposed to be something coming up soon!"

"I hope it's fireworks," a little girl whispered.

"Did you see the gun powder Mr Richards left up there this morning…" and the conversation continued.

MeyRin looked over at me and I was starting to worry. Finny caught and held my hand, as I wondered why gun powder was needed. Were they going to skip the exorcism and just shoot me? I kept my head down as we reached the beach, and Sebastian tied the Earl's horses off. I got out and tied off the horses for our carriage and they led the way to the shore. There didn't seem to be anyone nearby so MeyRin caught my hand and brought me to the changing hut, a small bag in her hands.

"This is the best we could do, yes it is," MeyRin said as she held out a powder blue swimsuit and a blonde wig.

"Where did you get the wig?" I asked as she helped me undress and put on the swimsuit.

"Bought it off someone in the village," she replied vaguely and tied my black hair up and away from my face, attaching the blonde and fastened it into a braid that looked lazy.

"There," she said, "Bard."

A hand reached in and I was pulled from the hut, into the arms of Bard. He smiled at me and caught my hand before bringing me out to the water. The wig was clipped to my skull and itched painfully. Finny decided to splash me which made it seem like this was a normal vacation.

"Why don't you go for a swim?" Bard asked and I nodded before going into deeper waters, feeling everyone's eyes on me.

I lay back and let myself float, feeling the water cool me down and almost numb me. All I heard was the water lapping as I closed my eyes, imagining myself in a perfect piece of paradise. I heard splashing and opened my eyes to see Finny was running with Bard chasing after him, smiles on their faces.

"I haven't been to a proper swimming hole in ages!" Bard called out as he waded deeper, "the water is so nice and warm!"

"Aren't you coming in, MeyRin?" Finny called, and I forgot the maid hadn't joined us yet.

I stood up straight and walked closer to the hut, only to see a man was watching me. He was leaning on the stone wall overlooking the water and he was smiling as I got closer. He caught and held my attention, and when I got to the beach, I grabbed a cloak and threw it over my shoulders to keep warm. I reached the wall and he was still smiling. His hair was dark brown and to his ears, where he had brushed it back in a tousled manner. His eyes were a captivating ivy green, but I felt something off about him, like he wasn't fully human. He reminded me oddly of Sebastian…

"Hello there," he said softly, a voice that was laced with an accent I had never heard of before, "I saw you floating out there."

"Why were you looking?" I whispered, knowing I had the others' eyes on me.

"You seemed in a world of your own," he replied, "my name is Jonathon Rawlings, what about you?"

"Elena Hamilton," I whispered in a soft voice, and froze when his hand touched my face gently.

"What a lovely name," he stated as he ran a finger along the wig, "blonde suits you, my dear Elena."

"Mr Rawlings-"

"Jonathon, just call me Jonathon," he stated as he looked towards a carriage, "I prefer it to faux titles."

"Rawlings…are you related to Denise and Fredrick?" I asked him.

"Unfortunately," he muttered, "my parents."

"Oh," I whispered as he looked me over.

"You wouldn't happen to be Berrymore's sole maid, would you?" Jonathon asked and I nodded, "my parents wish they had someone like you working for them."

"Really?" I asked.

"Yes, but everyone we've hired is a bore," he muttered.

"I was looking for employment elsewhere," I whispered and his eyes seemed to shimmer a dull red behind the ivy.

"Well, that sure is timely," he said as he touched my face again, "when could you start?"

"In the next few weeks," I replied and pointed towards the Earl, "I'll finish with the Earl Phantomhive. You're based in Low Row?"

"Always have been," he replied.

"My uncle lives up there," I said.

"You don't say," Jonathon said as he looked towards Sebastian, "Elena?"

"Hmm?" I asked and I turned to see he looked slightly anxious. It looked kind of…cute when his eyebrows knitted together like that, almost as if he were thinking hard.

"Don't leave that demon's side," he said as he found a card and wrote out a number, "I wouldn't want to lose you before you reach Low Row."

He gave me the card and kissed me on my forehead before disappearing into a carriage. I watched it leave, frozen to the spot and not sure what had just happened. Had I gotten a job? Or had he just flirted with me? How had he known Sebastian was a demon? I was too flustered to comprehend anything so I walked towards a small towel and sat down, trying to think.

"Oh, this is absolutely humiliating!" MeyRin cried and I glanced up to see her in a swimsuit which revealed less than mine did…

"No worries, MeyRin, you look lovely," Finny said to her in a soft voice.

"You aren't just saying that?" MeyRin asked him, her hands clasped over her heart.

"I bet you look even better without the glasses!" Bard said as he tried to take them off her face. She moved out of his reach and towards the water to splash them.

"No I can't! The master gave them to me!" she cried.

I stopped looking at them and glanced at the card in my hands. Jonathon Rawlings was written in a fancy script with his number underneath, a promise of employment far away from Houndsworth. Should I bring Annie with me? There was nowhere for her here. Jonathon had seemed odd in himself, why had he come to Houndsworth to begin with? Low Row had enough to keep people busy so was he here on business? Why was I thinking about him at all?

"Elena?" Sebastian called and I got up and walked towards him, the card still held in my hand.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Who was that you were speaking with?"

"Jonathon Rawlings," I replied.

"Is he a friend of yours?"

"I only met him today," I replied, "he offered me a job in Low Row. You told me once you were finished here, I should leave. It's nice to know I have somewhere."

"Hmm," Sebastian muttered.

"He knew you were a demon," I whispered and both he and Ciel looked at me, "he told me not to leave your side."

"You are aware he was one too?"

"There seemed to be something off about him," I whispered as I looked down at the card, "but I don't mind. My uncle lives up there so I could stay with him."

Neither of them seemed to know what to say and instead returned to their conversation before Jonathon's arrival.

"Don't you care to bathe with them, young master?" Sebastian asked as Ciel returned to his book, "oh, I see. Is that the problem? The master can't-"

"I don't see why they're making a big fuss over this little pond," the Earl muttered as he glanced up at his servants, "just because you can bathe does not make it a resort."

"You still intend to make this place into a resort then?" Sebastian questioned, giving him an odd glance.

"Naturally," Ciel replied.

"But what about this great demon hound?" Sebastian asked.

"Surely you know as well as I do by now, this demon hound is no dog," the Earl muttered, "we have some proof that Berrymore is responsible. Shall we discuss it further?"

"I'll return to the others," I said and wasn't given a second glance as I walked back into the water, to be greeted by Finny who pretended he was a shark. He caught my foot and pulled me under, forcing me to take a deep breath before he gave me a cheerful wave. He pointed to something near the bottom and I swam closer, wondering what it was.

It was a small box, and looked like wood that been treated to take water damage. It looked the size of something a diary would fit in. There was a lock attached as I lifted it up, standing full height to hold it. Golden patterns were made into the wood, decorating it and adding to its shape. Why would someone have dumped this in the water?

"What's that?" Bard asked as he got closer.

"I really don't know," I replied as I turned it over before walking towards the shore, "anyone got a toothpick?"

Toothpicks were freed from some sandwiches Sebastian had prepared and I put them through the lock, but it didn't work. The lock was old, and parts had started to rust. I looked around the shore.

"Finny, can you found me a heavy rock?" I asked and he nodded before disappearing.

I sat near the Earl with the box, wondering why this box had been in the ocean. Had there been a specific reason why it had been there? Finny returned and I clasped the rock tight in my hands, lifted my right and brought it down on the lock. I heard it scratch and kept hitting it, catching my leg twice and my hand began to get sore. But the lock broke eventually, exposing the contents within. It was a journal and a small pile of teeth. The teeth had once belonged to a dog, it was clear from their sharpness. I opened the journal, finding entries pre-dating me. I decided to read those entries to the others:

"Dear Journal, I told my son a myth today about a majestic hound that once roamed the lands. It had no name but protected the people of our small village. It requested only one thing every year, and that was the sacrifice of a villager. The old and the young were excluded, while the young adults were picked off. But my son enjoyed the tale…I'll tell him it again tomorrow, i.b."

"Dear Journal, my son has grown fond of the majestic hound, and wondered if it would exist today. I told him it would look like a great animal with many rows of teeth, better to protect us with. Its body would be consumed by fine dark fur and its eyes would be the darkest red. But you could always see it at night, as it glowed an illuminous green. He wonders some days and asked me to find this hound for him. Would my son wish for a pet? i.b."

"Who owned that?" the Earl asked as I looked through each entry, until I saw my name.

"Dear Journal, we had the teacher's daughter on our lands today, Elena, I believe that was her name. She made sure our gardens were ready for planting and only asked for a shilling. It was a lot of work, I was impressed. My son watched her from the window and told me what she was doing. I wish I could leave my bed, but the doctor told me not to bother. I am not long for this world, and my son knows it. I don't want to leave my darling Henry alone…not since his father died. He's too young to inherit the rule of the village, I'd be scared. And he speaks of the hound often, telling me he has seen it. I worry… i.b."

"I know who owned this," I whispered as I looked through the pages, "Isabelle Berrymore, Henry Berrymore's mother. She died about five years ago. She had some heart condition that kept her in bed, and her son was her only contact with the outside world…"

"So what are the teeth for?" Bard asked as I picked one up.

"Something tells me," I whispered as I caught my finger on a point, a drop of blood rolled down, "that we're looking at the old demon hound. These entries speak of the majestic hound that Isabelle told my master about, a story she had heard from somewhere else. It was a fairytale that Berrymore made real…and it worried her."

"So this is proof," the Earl muttered as I put the tooth back.

A bell decided to ring then, and villagers ran to the baiting pit. I wondered what they were gathering for…when they turned towards the beach and saw us there. A few villagers pointed and wandered closer.

"We've been looking for you," Mr Ricci said as he held a hunting knife out.

"Who?" I asked as I stepped in front of the Earl and the others, protecting them.

"We have orders, Harold, just grab and let's go," Damian said.

"I was hoping to have it fight me," Mr Ricci sighed as he walked closer and in my face, "I wondered what a demon would fight like."

"It's not our job to wonder," an irritated person muttered.

My arm was grabbed and I was pulled close to Mr Ricci, his voice low enough that only I could properly hear him.

"I wonder what it feels like, to know your host will die with you, demon," he whispered as I was pulled further away.

"Earl!" I called, "keep that journal safe!"

I was hit hard on the back of my head. The last thing I saw was the Earl as Damian walked over to stop them following us…and then it faded to black…

* * *

My head hurt when I came to, enough so it felt like my skull had cracked. I kept my eyes closed as I tried to get my bearings. My arms were tied above my head by chains, my feet were tied as well out in front of me with hooks in the floor. My waist was wrapped as was my neck. I coughed as I first opened one eye and then the other. The sun was setting on the horizon and a cough brought my attention to the crowd now gathered near me.

The local priest was standing near Berrymore, his hands clutching the bible. A nun stood nearby and was blessing the group gathered near me. Berrymore had five dogs in front of him, all growling at me. They were dogs I had taken care of as part of my job, I had raised two of them from pups…and yet here they were, ready to rip me to pieces.

"I can't believe a demon took control of my best maid," Berrymore sighed, eliciting cries from the villagers, "return her to me or I will be forced to kill you both."

"As if you care," I replied and spat to my side, which was awkward considering the neck brace.

"Dear child of God, can you hear us?" the priest asked.

"I believe she has long disappeared into the void," Berrymore commented.

"Let me go!" I shouted as I saw a shrouded figure enter the crowds, a dog held tight by a new leash. It was the curly brown hair that told me who stood there, long before Annie lifted her head to look at me. Lucky had been dipped in ashes to hide his normal colour, giving him a black/dark grey appearance. He was watching me and I wanted him to come to my rescue, but Annie knew it was dangerous. She couldn't expose them both.

"Sorry," she mouthed, which told me she had probably gone looking to tell me about this exact situation.

"Any last words, demon?" Berrymore asked as the priest blessed me.

"I hope you burn in hell, you bastard!" I shouted.

Berrymore sighed and looked at the dogs, who glanced back at him, awaiting their orders.

"Well, you stupid mutts, kill her!" he shouted and the dogs charged for me.

I watched it in slow motion, saw a Dobermann taking the lead as the others charged from different directions. It was my favourite, Charlie, a white German Shepard, that attacked first, and caught my leg. He pulled on it as the other four caught pieces of me, biting and pulling. I was certain I screamed, but the sound was hidden by the growls of the dogs. Tears ran down my eyes before I heard it.

"That's enough!" a voice shouted and suddenly the dogs were gone, and Finny stood near me with a wooden post in his hands.

"Finny!" the others shouted as I felt my heart race in my chest.

"Annie informed us of their plan," Bard commented and I looked to the girl, her smile clearly evident, "she found us down on the shore with Damian. You never told us she could throw knives."

"I never knew," I whispered as my nerves began firing messages to my overworked brain.

"You stand in the way, of justice? This demon has killed people," the priest whispered as he blessed himself.

"Earl, leave this village and advise her Majesty never to send her minions here again!" Berrymore shouted, "you may leave here unharmed."

"And should I refuse?" he asked as the small troupe blocked me from view.

"Then you may die alongside the demon!" he shouted.

"You're so pathetic," the Earl commented, "you rely on lowly tricks to retain your meagre power. If there's a stubborn dog here, I'd say I'm looking at him."

"If that's your final choice, you can learn what happens to a dog that challenges me. Get him!" Berrymore shouted.

The dogs charged again and the Earl flinched. The others gathered around us, their eyes on the threat. Something dropped between the dogs and our small group, kicking the dogs away. They crumbled onto their sides and breathed heavily as they tried to regain what little sense they had left. They moved back to Berrymore. The thing moved and fixed the lapels on his coat before turning to look at us. Sebastian may be a demon, but right then, he looked like an angel. Maybe it was the setting sun in the distance, maybe I was delirious…who could say?

"You cut that close," the Earl commented.

"It won't happen again, trust me," Sebastian replied.

"You dare to interfere dog!" Berrymore shouted, five dogs lined up to attack again, "well what are you mangy mutts waiting for! Kill all of them now!"

"Shameful. What coarse, noisy growls they have. One of the reasons I despise these creatures," Sebastian stated before glaring at them.

All five of them lay flat on their stomachs, wagging their tails for Sebastian. Berrymore seemed confused by this behaviour.

"What the hell? What did you do, Elena?!" Berrymore

"Your pitiful farce ends here, Berrymore," Ciel commented, "listen, there is no demon hound! It's all a lie! There's just him, an old man obsessed with power! Determined to keep it, no matter what!"

"What, what evidence do you have?" Berrymore demanded.

"There's this," Sebastian stated as he opened one of the dogs' mouths to remove a skull. It looked to have been wedged in there for a while, "we found this at your mansion. I took the liberty of confirming the teeth marks on James matched the teeth in this skull."

I saw a few villagers back away from Berrymore and the priest, now questioning where they stood. A few people leaned closer to the nun to ask her questions, but I was unable to hear her responses.

"Do you see it now?" Sebastian continued and pointed towards the sky where the demon hound's shadow lit the sky, "the truth behind the demon hound. Its shadow is nothing more than a projection. Just a transparent trick. The glowing is phosphorescent dust sprinkled on a normal dog."

"Like…the legend," I whispered, not sure anyone could hear me I watched as he pulled a small vial from his pocket to pour green dust. The same dust that could be seen when you followed the tracks of the dog.

"The demon hound is merely an illusion, a story made up by an evil man. The man you let rule your village. This man, Henry Berrymore!" the Earl concluded.

"No! It's all nonsense! You can't fool them! Where's your evidence!" Berrymore demanded.

"You want…more?!" I asked him and he glared at me. Sebastian stepped forward and opened his hand to reveal the piece of cloth I had given to the Earl.

"Yours no doubt, most likely torn from your pants. Your maid found this this morning when Jacob Riley handed it to her. It was torn off by James' dog when it was defending its master from you. You recognise it, yes?"

"Give up Berrymore! It's all over now!" the Earl called out.

"Punish James' killer!" the crowd called out as they hefted Berrymore over their shoulders.

They chanted that mantra between them and turned away from the baiting pit. They would most likely put him in the castle until a constable could be found.

"Elena!" someone called before clasping my hand, but it felt numb.

"She's in a state of shock," Sebastian said as he checked my pulse.

"I heard Berrymore on the phone," Annie whispered as she leaned closer to me, "I tried to warn you and then I saw your friends on the beach…you weren't there…"

"Ann…nee…" I whispered, "Can you…?"

I closed my eyes unable to keep them open for much longer. My heart felt heavy and sore around the edges. I heard something fall nearby…like chains…

* * *

I found out I was in bed, unconscious, for two weeks. A doctor was sent to tend to my injuries, who said it was a miracle I was still alive. During those two weeks, Berrymore was brought to London to face a court for the murders he had committed, and according to the Earl, the trial was still on. There was no doubt in my mind that he would face time in prison for the atrocities he committed while here in Houndsworth.

According to Sebastian, my body healed quicker than an average human's, allowing me to wander the estate after three weeks. The Earl would not allow me to leave the house as the village still had ideas about me, and it was safer for me at the castle. So I worked at closing old accounts, settling any debts Berrymore had left…and then rang Rawlings.

"Hello?" a woman said as the call was accepted.

"Hello, my name is Elena Hamilton. I was speaking to Jonathon Rawlings about a job…?"

"Oh, I'll get my son for you!" she said and the phone must have been set down on a table before someone picked it up again.

"Elena?" Jonathon asked, "are you alright?"

"Yeah, I was just ringing to inform you that my job with the Earl will be finished in a three days' time," I said as I curled the phone wire between my fingers.

"That's great news! Mother has been anxious to have you here!" he said, sounding enthusiastic.

"I'll get a carriage then and be with you by the end of the week," I said, hoping that was accurate.

"Don't bother. Mother is organising the family carriage for your use. I'll be with it," he said quickly, "are you bringing anything with you?"

"A friend of mine and our dog," I answered, seeing Annie in the garden with Lucky, "she'll be staying with my uncle."

"Can she work too?" he asked.

"She's pregnant at the moment," I answered.

"Well, let her know the option is there when she sees fit to leave her baby," Jonathon said simply, "I'll see you soon, Elena."

I hung up and went to work packing, informing the Earl and Annie of my plans that evening. Annie was excited to be finally leaving Houndsworth.

"Will I tell Scott?" she asked and I gave her a look, "he wouldn't care…would he?"

"It's better if we got a fresh start," I said to her, "make a new name for yourself."

"I could be…your sister?" she asked.

"You'll be with my uncle," I said.

"Fine…call me…" and she looked to the ceiling before turning back to me, "Mollie Richmond."

Annie decided her child would have a brighter future if it had a better name than Halford, so she started practising her new name. The Earl was informed of all the accounts I had closed, all the debts that were paid as I packed up my life into suitcases. Annie had very little on her to begin with, so she took half a suitcase before retrieving the pink tea set I had bought. The one I had gotten for any female guests.

"Can we bring this with us?" she asked as she held it up for me to see.

"No one will use it here," I whispered as it was wrapped and put into the case carefully before I located a hanger and hung up my only maid uniform. I put on my casual clothes and found Annie a spare coat. The day we left Houndsworth came, everyone's bags were set by the door as Annie finished with her hair. She had dyed it dark brown, emphasising her pale blue eyes as I had done my blonde. Jonathon had mentioned it suited me…

"A carriage is waiting for you outside, Elena," Sebastian said and I opened the door as Jonathon had been about to ring the bell. His hair was a little shorter and his eyes seemed like a forest. I was instantly captivated by them, as was Annie.

"Elena," he said.

"Jonathon," I whispered.

"Mollie," Annie called and we looked over to her to see her smiling.

"Hello, I'm Jonathon Rawlings," he said as he put a hand out to Annie.

"Mollie Richmond," she replied.

"And there was mention of a dog…?" Jonathon said as Annie brought it out to show him, "and this is?"

"Lucky," I replied, "he's our dog."

"He's interesting," Jonathon said as Lucky kept his distance from the demon, "but I'm a cat person at heart."

Annie went ahead and got into the carriage with Lucky as Jonathon loaded our luggage. I stood at the door as the servants made their way to the front with their carriages. They each hugged me goodbye and wished me well. Dante was attached to the Earl's with two other horses, so I was grateful Dante had somewhere to go. The Earl stepped out a few minutes later, and I held out the key to Berrymore Castle.

"This is the only one left," I said as he took it, "all others were destroyed."

"Thank you for helping us solve the case," the Earl said with an odd smile.

"Contact me if you ever return to Houndsworth, Lord Phantomhive," I said as I walked towards Jonathon's carriage.

I climbed in and waved to them as Jonathon tapped the roof to signal the driver to take us away. I caught Annie's hand…and knew this was our new beginning…long before we reached the village limits of Houndsworth…

* * *

 **I hope you all enjoyed this chapter :) Next will be the circus and Angel :) Let me know what you think and you can PM me with any questions you have (you don't have to post them as reviews) :) Leave me a review and let me know what you think of this story so far :)**


	7. Chapter 7: The Butler And The Circus

**Hi everyone, here's the next chapter :) You are invited to see the circus of the century :)**

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for visiting the Phantomhive manor today. Ah, but what unfortunate timing! I'm afraid the young master and I must be off to London on business. By which I mean…"

"Will you stop with the monologue!" I snapped at the butler as we stepped out the front door and made our way down the stairs towards the awaiting servants.

"How nice that the weather has cleared up. It's the perfect day for a circus!" Sebastian exclaimed, a too cheerful smile on his face. It looked almost unnatural for the demon to smile in such a way.

"Circuses are held in tents. The weather is irrelevant," I muttered as I walked towards my awaiting carriage. I couldn't muster much enthusiasm for the coming weeks, or any at all really.

"Bard, Finny, MeyRin," Sebastian called the servants to order, "the young master and I will be staying in town for a while."

"Take care of yourself, young master!" Bard said as I climbed into the carriage and took my seat.

"See you later!" Finny called out, almost as if I were miles away and not a few short feet from him.

"Please come back soon!" MeyRin said softly, a handkerchief raised to wipe her eyes as Tanaka waved behind the threesome.

"You three," I said as soon as MeyRin had wiped her eyes, "look after the place while I'm gone."

"Yes, my lord!" the three called out for me as the carriage door was closed behind Sebastian, and I tapped the roof to alert the driver we were ready to go.

The driver moved the reins and I felt the gentle motion of the carriage moving off the property. It would be two or so hours before we were in town itself, and we had a few errands to run before we could return to the townhouse. One of those errands involved attending the blasted circus. I wasn't much looking forward to it, considering I still had Jack the Ripper to contend with.

I took the letter the Queen had left almost a week ago from my pocket and broke the temporary seal I had put on it yesterday. I saw the tickets and sighed before taking out the note to read. It might explain why I had to attend this circus.

"My dear boy, I hope this letter finds you in good health. In regards to the enclosed tickets. Did you know a circus is expected to arrive in London soon? I'm told it's a travelling troupe, and a large number of children are missing from towns they've visited. Although the police are doing all they can, they still haven't been found. They are beginning to worry that the murderer has taken a liking to children as well as those poor women. It seems the children always vanish without a trace in the middle of the night. It's as though they've been lured away by the Pied Piper of Hamelin…that is what I hope is the case. The sorrow of losing a family member is difficult to bear. I sincerely hope the children will return safely to their families soon. Victoria."

I put the note back in the envelope with the tickets, then returned it to my inside pocket for safekeeping. Would Jack turn his attention to children? It didn't seem to fit his current pattern, and what could he have against children? Were they a particular group? It would need investigating before we attended the show tonight.

"Where will you go first, my lord?" Sebastian asked as I glanced at the demon.

"Hmm, first of all…we should go to Scotland Yard. We need to gather information on these missing children."

I hoped that they were just missing, and not another victim of the Ripper's…it would be too messy to cover it up if that were the case…

* * *

"It's very convenient that Sir Arthur is out," I said once we had entered the file room of Scotland Yard.

We weren't alone however, and a very timid man had been yammering for the last ten minutes about our entry.

"Please, stop! If the Commissioner finds out…" the man had been repeating those words for the last little while, much to my annoyance. How could one man talk so much?

"Just make sure he doesn't, then," I repeated, having said those words to make him go away for the last while.

"Listen, this is the third floor! How did you get in here?!" he asked and I cast a sideways glance towards the open window. It had been a tight squeeze…one I didn't wish to repeat. So I decided to ignore the grumbling man and find out how my butler was doing.

"Well, Sebastian?" I asked the butler who was scanning through files.

"No bodies have been found that match the missing persons reports," Sebastian replied as he stood and glanced down at the book he was holding.

"We'll leave when you've finished copying. And we might as well borrow the photos."

"You can't do that!" the man said quickly.

"If you get found out, just say I took them," I muttered as I walked towards the demon.

"That'd get me in _more_ trouble!" he snapped, his hands balled into fists.

"Listen…hmm, Underline, isn't it?" I asked the man, only now looking him over.

He was average looking and non-threatening. His hair was a very light brown and his eyes were the same. He had his moustache recently trimmed and looked agitated. He must have already been in trouble before this, and that was why he working in the file room. It wasn't normally watched as thoroughly as this.

"It's Abberline!" he shouted at me.

"You've been a great help. We appreciate your cooperation," I said, knowing he had done nothing but complain. I motioned for Sebastian to give him something for his…troubles.

Sebastian caught Abberline's hand and put some coins in it, much to the annoyance of the latter. He pushed it back into Sebastian's hand, finding this new thing much more annoying than us being in the file room to begin with. Interesting.

"I'm not for sale!" he snapped at the butler, "I just want to do whatever it takes to bring them home!"

""Whatever it takes", eh?" I repeated as I made my way to the door, thinking we could leave via the main entrance this time, "very flexible of you. You have a bright future."

I heard Sebastian follow, the money put back into his pocket as he stood near the door. A clatter of something hit the floor and I glanced back to see the butler had put a mop in Abberline's hands. Very amusing indeed.

"H-Hey!" he shouted.

"Hurry and get yourself promoted, Abberline," I called to him as Sebastian closed the door behind us.

I took the stairs down to the first floor, a copy of the notes in Sebastian's hands. It was a little busy with criminals coming in to be questioned. A few patrolmen were discussing their night adventures when the door opened and a young girl walked in. She was wearing pauper clothes, a coat over one of her arms and she had tied her hair in an awkward style. Behind her was a man with orange hair, too odd a sight to be normal. She made her way slowly to the front desk, and I saw what was wrong with her.

Her eye was bruised badly and her nose was bandaged. Some of her neck was covered which told me something had happened to her recently. Maybe she was the girl who had been attacked on Osborn Street over the last few days. She walked to the front desk, catching the attention of the officer there.

"What can I do for you, miss?" he asked her gently.

"I'm looking for Fred Abberline," she replied and he nodded.

"I'll fetch him for you immediately," he answered before moving away from his desk and up the stairs we had just left. He returned with Abberline who looked less flustered than before. He even had a smile, but looked tired.

"Hi," the girl said as Abberline said, "Vanessa?"

She didn't look like a Vanessa to me, but what did I know?

"Young master?" Sebastian called as I watched her hand him the coat, a smile on her lips as I turned and made my way to the front door and out onto the street. My carriage was waiting for me and I looked back over my shoulder, wondering about that strange girl. She had looked too pale to be normal, and I wasn't sure if that was make-up.

"It seems they're all still being treated as missing persons," Sebastian stated and I was reminded of why I had gone to Scotland Yard to begin with.

"By respectable society, perhaps, but someone in the Underworld may have already disposed of them," I stated as I got into my carriage and removed my hat before Sebastian sat opposite me.

"Will we be visiting him again to find out, then?" Sebastian asked.

"I'd really rather not, but needs must," I muttered as I tapped the roof of the carriage and the driver pulled away from the road, "let's go."

"Very good," Sebastian answered.

I glanced out the window and saw the door of Scotland Yard open, the girl stepped out with the orange haired man. She was talking to him about something, and then turned away from us, towards some other part of London. She seemed rather interesting, at least her hair was. It hadn't been like a normal blonde…more white than honey. She looked too young to be white haired unless that was another type of blonde I hadn't come across before. But it didn't matter…we had other things to do…

* * *

I stood outside the Undertaker's parlour, wishing I could be anywhere else but here. Sebastian had checked his watch to inform me we were four hours off the circus starting, and as I stood there, I could hear people talking about it.

"I heard Gerald got free tickets during the parade!" they said, as the parade had happened already.

"Him and his little girl are probably so excited," a woman stated before they faded from earshot.

I sighed heavily, wanting this case finished soon so I could move onto other things. I opened the door slowly and saw it was pitch black, the only light available were candles scattered around the room haphazardly. Sebastian stood at my back, taking everything in, looking for threats.

"Are you here, Undertaker?" I called out in the darkened parlour.

I stepped further in, hoping I was walking in the general direction to the back of the parlour when the door closed behind me. I blinked, adjusting to this sudden difference only to see the candles had been rearranged in a lane down the middle. Something glittered up ahead, but I couldn't make out exactly what it was. A maniac laugh echoed around us, informing me the Undertaker was somewhere in here.

"Welcome, my lord!" he called out, followed by the sound of something rolling. I had enough time to move out of the way as it rolled passed us and towards the glittering object ahead of me. It hit it, making it fall to the ground with an unceremonious clatter. He was _bowling_?

"Is today the day you'll condescend to enter one of my special coffins?" his voice echoed.

"Look you-!" I shouted as I turned, seeing something move from the doorway.

"Please, have a seat. I have a batch of cookies fresh from the oven," he said, his voice now coming from in front of me.

He walked away and into the back, no doubt to retrieve these cookies as I located Sebastian.

"Rearrange a few of these so I can see him, Sebastian," I ordered and the butler went to work moving the candles so it surrounded us, showing me what the Undertaker classed as a desk these days. He returned, setting the cookies down on his desk and sat behind it, not offering us anything.

"Have any of your clients delivered children's bodies to you recently?" I asked him once he had settled in.

"Children's bodies, hmm?" he questioned.

"Regular society regards them as missing, and no corpses have turned up," Sebastian informed him, holding the information we had gathered so far.

"Well, dead children are an everyday affair in the Underworld," Undertaker commented quietly as he bit into his cookies, "I'm sure you know that well, my lord."

"I've brought their information," I said, deciding to ignore what he had said to me, "did you take care of any of these children?"

Sebastian set down the information in front of him and he glanced over it, giving it about a quarter of his attention before glancing back up at me.

"Hmm, did I?" he asked as he looked at the first picture, a little girl not much older than six, "I feel as though I could remember, if I saw something entertaining…You know what I want, my lord. Give it to me! Give me prime laughter! Do that, and I'll tell you anything!"

He had moved, now lying on his back across his desk, glancing up at me through his hair. Could he really see me? He then moved his fingers like you would if you were tickling a child, but coming from him, it only rose goosebumps on me.

"Sebastian!" I said, looking towards the butler.

"Very well," the butler replied as he adjusted his gloves.

"Oh, you're relying on him?" Undertaker questioned, the fingers stopped moving, "aren't you able to do anything without your butler, my lord?"

He slid off his desk to his knees and held his hat to his head before glancing back at me.

"Well, anyone entertaining enough will do, really," he said in a blasé type of way.

He was starting to annoy me, and I knew the only way to prove I could do something without Sebastian was to entertain him. I set my walking stick down by his desk and felt my annoyance growing.

"I'll do it!" I snapped at him.

"Will you?" Sebastian questioned.

"You get out! And do _not_ peek inside! That's an order!" I snapped at him before turning to point my finger at him.

"Yes, my lord," Sebastian answered as he bowed and turned to leave.

* * *

It took some time before he started laughing, and once he did, I heard the front door open. I was breathing heavily, not sure why I had done that.

"Ah, I never imagined the Earl Phantomhive would go _that_ far!" Undertaker chuckled.

"What in the world did you do?" Sebastian asked as he straightened my hair and clothes. I was too embarrassed to repeat it or say what I had done…

"Don't ask," I muttered.

"Still," Sebastian whispered, fixing my tie, "if you're willing to put on a show for the Queen's sake…you really are a dog."

"Shut it, you!" I snapped, "all right, I've paid your fee. Tell me about the children!"

"They're nowhere," the Undertaker replied, now giving me his full attention.

"Sorry?" Sebastian asked, as he put my coat back on me.

"None of them were my customers, and there aren't any rumours, either," the Undertaker continued, holding up one of the missing persons reports for me to see as I walked towards him.

"In other words, you don't know a thing about this?" I asked.

"I beg to differ, I know that I _don't_ know," he retorted.

"True, if _you_ don't know, that would mean no one in the Underworld killed them," Sebastian stated.

"If their bodies haven't been found in either circle, they're still alive," I stated, finding the news slightly surprising, "in which case, I suppose our only choice is to personally investigate that circus."

I gathered my hat and my walking stick as Sebastian took out his watch to check the time.

"The circus is set to begin soon, my lord," he said to me.

"We'll go there straightaway, Sebastian," I said to the butler as he put his watch back in his pocket, "Undertaker, contact me if you hear anything."

"My lord…" Undertaker said as I reached the door, "each of us only gets one soul. Take good care of yours."

"I know that," I muttered as I stepped out into the darkened street.

"Do you really?" I heard him say before the door closed between us, ceasing any further conversation.

He had given us some useful information. All prior victims of Jack the Ripper had been delivered to the Undertaker, and I had been informed. To know the children weren't there…it was possible Jack wasn't involved. That left a whole new group to worry about, and something told me the circus was directly responsible.

* * *

The driver dropped us at the main entrance of the circus where are tickets were checked by a man with flaming red hair. He looked rather disgruntled as did a man near him, his hair black with streaks of grey. Did they not wish to help the customers?

As we entered, a sign above our heads welcomed us to the circus. Lights shun brightly as children cried for their parents to see specific things that were otherwise obvious. Clowns handed out balloons to those children and people juggled for their attention. There was a lot happening in such a small space, it was almost overwhelming. Vendors had set up with foods and drinks for people to buy. But nothing interested me and I kept walking on.

"So this is it," I said in a low enough voice that the demon would hear.

A man motioned for the crowds to enter a tent, lit by green lights that seemed welcoming. Is this how the children had been lured in before? It was a short walk until we were near the seats and I took the lead and sat near the top. It would allow us a chance to investigate the other people in attendance. A young girl sat in front of us with her father, a pink balloon dog in her hands as she scanned the stage below. Was she seeking out a particular entertainer?

"It's quite elaborate," Sebastian commented as I spotted the chandelier hanging from the ceiling, rows of rhinestones adding to its charm. How could a circus buy such a thing?

"Yes…but no more so than any other circus," I replied, trying not to take into account that chandelier.

As we took our seats, the lights dimmed until the room was darkened. Everyone who had been talking prior to that stopped to look at the ground below. One light lit and shun down on a man, his hair bright orange and reminded of the man from earlier. But this man wore more elaborate clothes, clearly in the role of a clown this evening.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls!" he called out, "Welcome to Noah's Ark Circus! My name is Joker. Please to meet 'ee!"

He threw six balls in the air and proceeded to juggle with them before taking a bow. That bow meant he stopped watching the balls and they each fell on his head with light taps. He opened his mouth to reveal a ball which he removed and closed a hand over…or was that skeletal? It didn't matter as the ball disappeared from sight with a flick of his wrist.

"A prosthesis?" I asked, certain that was what the skeletal hand was.

"Tonight you'll see performances to stun and amaze 'ee!" he said in a loud voice, as people ran out.

The light illuminated three people moving out on the tightrope, two sitting together in the darkness while one sat alone, one leg raised on the wire while the other dangled. I looked back to Joker and saw people had run out to join him. Lights flicked on to show everyone's silhouette and I saw the person who simply sat on the tightrope with ease. It looked like a woman, but the shadows hid her albeit her costume which was a short skirt and a top hat that I could make out. The crowd clapped and cheered for their appearance.

"And now, with a great broze from our fire-breathing Jumbo, the show of the century begins!" Joker called out as a shape rose from the ground, taller than Joker and blew out a gust of fire towards the ceiling. It gave the performers a few seconds to make their escape before they were set on fire. The threesome on the wire sat still as the lights dimmed away from them and they disappeared.

Or rather, the girl had disappeared as the other two took their spots near the tightrope, and started swinging through the air in a careful manoeuvre so as to avoid hurting each other. Joker stood nearby to announce them.

"First our trapeze artists, perfectly in tune with each other: Peter and Wendy!" Joker called out.

Peter had been standing on his swing and dropped to put his hands out. As he was returning to the middle, Wendy let go and he caught her, holding her by one hand as her other was out almost in wonder. People clapped for the pair and their act went on in a similar fashion. It was standard, nothing impressive. I glanced to the demon who was watching them, and I wondered if he had ever attended a circus before.

The lights dimmed as a net was retrieved for Wendy and Peter to drop away and allow the next act to perform. Once the pair were gone, a turning wheel was pulled out with a young woman, scantily dressed, with a man. He had blond and black hair, and held daggers in his hands. The women bowed before being strapped to the wheel, which another man turned so she spun. So this man with the daggers was to hit a moving target? He threw his knives, missing her each time before turning back towards the crowds for a bow.

"Our knife-thrower, the perfect shot who never misses his target: Dagger!" Joker called out as Dagger finished his routine.

The woman was removed from the wheel and led elsewhere as two handymen took the wheel away. Dagger followed, and appeared to cheer. The next act received a green lighting, and stood bare-chested as snakes wrapped around him, along his arms and waist. He looked completely at ease with them, and that was his act. Also pretty standard for a circus.

"And now, a beautiful dance, by the rarest of rarities, our own serpent man, Snake!" Joker called out for the audience as he had with the previous acts.

"Their acts are fairly standard," I said in a low voice for Sebastian.

"Yes…and they don't seem to be forcing the children to perform," Sebastian commented.

"And next, look above ye, ladies and gents!" Joker called and we all did, seeing a girl dressed in white as she walked across the tightrope, "a death-defying tightrope walk by the circus princess, Doll!"

The girl moved slowly, holding an umbrella up before doing the splits on the wire.

"If they didn't intend to force the children to perform…could it be a coincidence that the disappearances were along the circus's route?"

Sebastian didn't answer and instead focused on centre stage. Joker stood there, unmoving as Doll descended and disappeared, her act concluded. Joker said nothing and looked down at his prosthetic, and wrapped around his wrist was a ribbon. It was too far away to determine a particular colour. Joker looked over everyone in the audience, his eyes moving up to the higher seats before he started walking towards the barrier. He climbed over it before moving towards the stairs. He walked up those slowly, counting in his head, his lips moving to mark numbers before he stopped on our level and turned to look at the people sitting on the same bench as Sebastian and I. I hadn't noticed that a women had taken the end seat as Joker looked her over and shook his head before looking at Sebastian.

The demon must have been what he was looking for and leaned forward to get closer. The woman moved out of his way as he held out the ribbon to Sebastian.

"Keep this in your hand," Joker said as Sebastian took it from him.

Joker pulled away with a smile, and walked down the stairs, casting no one a glance on the way down. He didn't return to the stage and instead stayed near the entrance. Worry appeared to crease his brow as he crossed his arms and leaned back. The lights turned off, and the audience groaned. They believed the show was over, and a few got up from their seats. But the sound of something hitting the ground and being rolled made them stop.

The sound stopped and the lights, now dimmed, turned on and pointed towards a cage. It was set in the middle and looked brass in colour. Water rippled underneath and added to the shapes cast on its surface. It looked like stars and spirals, and then I saw the white dress. It was dripping in water, no longer able to keep its previous shape. A shimmer showed there was a netting on the dress's hip, almost as if something belonged there. But it didn't look like someone was wearing it. Was this intermission?

I had never seen an intermission quite like this one, so I looked to Sebastian for guidance. He watched the cage, as if expecting something to move within. He did not say anything to me and simply leaned forward to get a better view. I looked back to the cage and the dress within, certain that was all there was. It was then I saw something twitch and I rubbed my uncovered eye to see if it was a trick of the light. No, it twitched again and the dress seemed to have gained a life of its own. Had a breeze caught it, making it move? I leaned closer as Sebastian had, watching this dress twitch before I realised the error in my previous assessment.

The cage was empty of everything but a person. The bodice, one marked with crystals moved a few inches as if the person were breathing before it parted and revealed itself to be hair. White blonde hair the same as the dress, giving the illusion the dress was the only thing in the cage. The girl moved, her face leaned back towards the bars as her hair fell across her chest and back in delicate curls. There appeared to be something wrapped around her eyes, preventing her from seeing the audience.

She put her arms behind her, linked them through the bars of the cage before pushing her legs up, forcing herself to stand. The light couldn't tell me what she looked like without the shadows, but she seemed small in size. The audience chattered for a moment before silence wrapped around us, with only a disgruntled baby crying making any noise. But the mother quieted her child and the girl held everyone's attention. She unthreaded her arms from the bars and put her hands on the front of her dress, showing how long it was.

She stepped forward slowly, her feet invisible as the dress hovered a few inches to compensate for the water. The silver netting I had seen earlier appeared like a cage and it held three butterflies to it, as others gathered around her bodice and skirt. She kept walking forward slowly, as if her intent was to walk through those bars. She stopped a foot from the bars, put her hands out in front of her to wrap long fingers around them. She then turned her head, as if she had heard something. I listened for something, anything that would distract the girl. A roar echoed through the tent and I sought it out, finding a white tiger running the perimeter of the barrier, the light glinting off its black stripes. It didn't seem to have an origin before it moved closer to the cage. I looked away from the tiger to see the cage was empty now, the girl gone from within. Where did she go?

"Can I have my ribbon back, sir?" a soft voice whispered and I turned to face the speaker.

The blindfolded girl stood there, her hand outstretched towards Sebastian. Where had she come from? I should have heard her climb those stairs, I should have seen her! Sebastian lifted his hand above hers and let the ribbon fall into her open palm. With a flick of her wrist, the ribbon moved and wrapped itself around her wrist lazily. How had she done that, without using her other hand?

"Thank you," she whispered and lifted her other hand to touch her left eye, running her fingers over the blindfold. The blindfold disappeared and she dropped a small amount of glitter to the floor, showing her hands were free. Where had the blindfold gone?

She turned and descended the stairs slowly, her dress leaving streaks of water on the steps before she made it to the barrier. She lifted her skirt revealing bare feet as she walked onto the stage where the tiger was still running. She walked to the front of the cage and watched the tiger. The circles the tiger was running grew tighter until it was charging at her and she was running at it.

The crowd held its breath as the tiger jumped, its mouth open wide to bite her. The girl jumped as well, her hands out as if she were diving and we watched as the tiger ate her in one bite. I hadn't thought it was possible as a woman screamed. A young child fainted in her seat as the tiger moved to face us, a piece of fabric hanging from its teeth. The beautiful creature seemed cruel all of sudden to me. The tiger turned to look at its right, and something moved.

There, by the barrier, was the girl in different clothes. Her hair was still free, her feet were bare. She had a black skirt that stopped mid-thigh and revealed her stomach. A blouse was underneath with straps that hung off her shoulders. A waistcoat, like one I would wear was all that covered that blouse and she walked towards the tiger, touching its head before removing the scrap from its mouth.

Her hand left the tiger's head and showed the ribbon from earlier was still fastened there. It was a part of her costume by the looks of it, and she was watching the audience, almost assessing their reaction so far. A man walked towards her, a handyman by the looks of it, who draped a black cloak along her body. She held onto either side and turned slowly, as a girl would if she were trying on a new dress. The tiger disappeared and the girl said something to the handyman who watched her as she stepped forward, lifting the cloak up and viewing it from all angles…until the tiger jumped through one side and ran around her. The cloak looked undamaged but the girl sighed, took it off, and handed it back to the handyman.

The tiger continued to pace around her, moving slowly as she touched its head in passing. She then walked back to the cage, her hands touching the bars slowly before she started walking…up. I couldn't see anything under her feet as she walked up thin air and I watched as it levelled out. How was she doing that? She twirled, like a child dancing to a song before she stepped backwards…and started falling. The handyman was down below and caught her, setting her on her feet slowly as she dusted down her unblemished skirt.

She then stepped away from the man and moved towards the cage, which during her walk up, had been turned onto its side. The man disappeared and she looked over everyone before turning her attention to the roof of her cage. She touched it gently and tapped it, assuring it was metal. The man from earlier appeared with another, and they put a blanket out that covered the cage. The girl walked to the barrier, her movements light and gentle before she turned to view the cage once more. She started running for it as the tiger did, both of them jumping at the same time at the cloth before they too disappeared. The blanket was dropped and the cage returned to its upright position, showing it now held the girl in clear view, her tiger walking around her.

She sat down and the tiger followed, sitting near her before the blanket was wrapped around the cage, obstructing its view. A minute later, it was removed and the girl was gone, as was the tiger. I looked for her and saw her, dressed differently in a pale pink dress that seemed to move. She had the tiger beside her, who was watching her carefully before raising a paw and swiping her, forcing her image to separate and reveal butterflies. Those butterflies flew around the audience and the tiger watched them, obviously wishing it could catch them all.

"Our illusionist, whose tricks make the mind wonder: Angel and her tigress, Mei!" Joker called out as he walked to the centre again as the cage was pulled back the way it must have been brought in.

Joker watched as more things were assembled, a ring set near the middle which Joker lit. A woman walked forward, a whip resting on her hip as another cage was carried out. It contained a normal tiger, one I would see in the paper that Lizzy often brought to the manor. Angel's Mei, had seemed the unusual exception.

The cage was opened and the tiger was set free to run around the barrier. I watched it, and spotted Angel on the side-lines, her arms crossed over her chest. Mei sat near her hip, watching this new tiger with an apprehensive gaze. Was something wrong with this tiger?

The whip hit the floor and the tiger ran before jumping through a flaming hoop, its body untouched by the heat. It moved around the woman before lying flat on its stomach at her feet. She raised one foot to put on its back, like a master with a servant.

"Last but not least, the star of our troupe! I bring 'ee the famous tamer of wild cats! Beast!" Joker called out.

That was also a pretty standard act, one that followed most circuses. I was starting to think the only unusual thing about this circus was Angel and her illusions. The crowd didn't seem to care and clapped for Beast nonetheless. They were clearly entranced by her and her performance so far.

"We'd love some audience participation for this act," Joker called out to us, "are there any volunteers?"

"No children in the final act, either," I muttered, wondering where those children could be at this point. Was it all just a coincidence, "this was a waste of time."

I had been talking to Sebastian and saw him move. I glanced at him, wondering if he had spotted something I hadn't.

"What is it? Did you find some-" I began as I looked at Sebastian, he was now standing straight.

"This gent in the tailcoat sure looks eager!" Joker called out as he pointed up at Sebastian, "please come on stage!"

The audience clapped for him, as if to encourage him to move. Why was he getting up to begin with? His eyes were facing forward and gave no indication as to what he was seeing.

"Step right up, sir!" Joker called out for his attention.

 _"So that's it – This is a chance to make contact. Go. The only way to find a clue to these mysterious disappearances is through this circus. Still, you may have made contact, but how exactly do you plan to investigate while all eyes are on you?"_

As I thought that, I watched as Sebastian made his way down to the stage, jumping over the barrier to walk towards Joker. It looked oddly robotic in my opinion.

"Now, if you'll just lie down here-" Joker began with those instructions and Sebastian walked right passed him, and then Beast to the only member still on stage…the tiger. He put his hands on either side of its face and smoothed out its whiskers.

"Ah, what lovely round eyes you have!" Sebastian said as he looked at the tiger, "soft ears…"

I then realised the error of my thinking once more:

 _"Oh, blast! Tigers are cats!"_

"I've never seen such vivid stripes! They're adorable. Oh dear," Sebastian commented as he lifted one of the tiger's paws, "your claws have gotten a bit too long…we'll have to groom them. And your paw pads are full and plump. Very attractive!"

The tiger decided to show Sebastian what it thought of the contact and rose up…to open its mouth and bite down on his head. The crowd screamed around me, and Beast seemed to snap out of her daze. She removed her whip from her hip and went to hit the tiger, to stop it eating Sebastian. Though at this point, I thought the demon deserved it.

"Betty, let him go!" Beast snapped as she snapped the whip towards the tiger, only for Sebastian to catch it in his hand and remove himself from the tiger's mouth gently.

"She hasn't done anything wrong. I was so overcome by her charm that I behaved rudely, that's all," Sebastian stated as he looked at Beast, releasing the whip for Beast.

"And…indiscriminate whipping isn't enough to train her properly," Sebastian continued and Betty decided to conclude this show and bit Sebastian on the back of the head, her paws resting on his shoulders. The crowd screamed again and Joker tried to calm them down.

"Betty! Spit him out this instant! He's dirty!" Beast yelled at the tiger.

"Goodness, aren't you a tomboy, my dear?" Sebastian asked the tiger calmly.

"Mei!" a voice called out and the white tiger jumped over the barrier to charge at Betty before jumping, catching the other tiger off guard as Sebastian pulled free.

Mei pulled Betty to the ground and pushed her onto her back, where Betty slashed out at Mei and Mei went for her throat. Beast used her whip and hit Mei multiple times, but the white tiger didn't seem to notice or didn't care. Betty pushed Mei off and stood staring at her as Beast hit Betty with the whip. Betty moved back slowly, watching Mei as the white tiger held her position, her body angled to take Betty again should the latter attack. Beast managed to get Betty into her cage and the door was locked.

Beast then moved forward, her whip raised to scold Mei as Angel moved forward, her arms outstretched to protect her tiger. Sebastian had moved away from the pair, the tension was heavy in the air. It didn't seem like the pair liked each other very much and only tolerated the other.

"Enough," Angel said, her voice carrying and it sounded like steel, "the act is over, the show complete for another night. Put down your whip, Beast."

Beast didn't and stomped away, clearly annoyed at Angel who kept her position and watched her disappear. The crowds watched as Angel turned to touch Mei's head carefully and then looked at Sebastian who was on his knees. She walked slowly towards him and put out her hand, helping him to his feet. No words were exchanged as Angel brought Mei out of the tent and into the grounds. It was then, Joker stood up and looked out on the shocked audience.

"I hope 'ee enjoyed the circus!" he called before running after Beast.

* * *

The crowds exited the tent, their enthusiasm about it only stained by the shock of Sebastian being attacked. The butler, however, appeared undamaged, much to my dismay. I thought he would be left with a mark at least.

"I didn't tell you to go _that_ far!" I snapped at him as we exited the tent and viewed the circus grounds once more.

"My apologies, my lord," he replied, clearly in a chipper mood than before, "I've lived many years, but cats are such whimsical creatures, I still can't quite read their moods."

"What was the point of attracting unnecessary attention-" and I started sneezing, so I turned with my walking stick up to push the demon back, "you know I'm allergic to cats! Stay far back."

I walked ahead of him, certain he would follow once a good distance had been put between us, when I heard someone calling. I turned the corner and looked back, seeing Joker reach Sebastian.

"I'm so sorry about what happened, sir," Joker called out.

"No, please, I apologise," Sebastian stated.

"Gave me a scare, traipsing right up to the tiger like that! All right? We have a doctor on staff. Better let him have a look at 'ee, I reckon. Please, come on back."

"Go," I whispered to Sebastian and he nodded, informing me he had heard.

"I don't mind if I do…"and I watched as they departed. There was nothing for me to do except wait in the carriage.

I found the carriage and the driver, the latter reading a paper. I opened the door myself and sat down, before I started sneezing again, wondering where the cat hair was now. A gentle knock on the door told me I had company and the door opened to reveal Angel. She was wearing a blanket around her shoulders and an envelope was in her hands.

"I'm here to offer you and your friend compensation," she said as she held out a letter to me, "they're tickets to any of our future shows. Along with our apologies."

"I saw you," I whispered, now remembering her from Scotland Yard.

"That was the point," she stated with a forced smile, thinking I meant the show, "I hope to see you soon for another performance."

I looked her over and saw blood was on her blanket and her hand. Her tiger stood near her, its chest wrapped up in cloth. Angel seemed to notice my looking.

"Betty is vicious when she wants to be, part of not being trained properly. Mei won't hurt you," she said to me, "she's a little hurt but a steak will help her sleep tonight."

I didn't comment and Angel stepped away from the door to give me another smile.

"See you soon, sir," she whispered as she closed the door and walked away from the carriage.

It had been a long day and all I wanted was to go to the townhouse and sleep it off. But that girl had seemed like she wanted to say something else…I wondered what it would have been? Maybe I would find out, the next time I attended a show…as soon as Sebastian returned that was!

"What the hell is keeping him?!" I snapped at no one and returned to sneezing. Damn allergies!

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed the show :) What did you think of the acts? Please leave a review and let me know what you think so far :)**


	8. Chapter 8: Smile, It's A Circus Test

I had been sneezing for a full five minutes before the carriage door opened, Sebastian climbed in and took his seat opposite me. His head was partially down, his once cheerful expression gone and replaced by something that seemed thoughtful. Had he gotten a chance to investigate? Was he thinking about what he had found out in the last…twenty minutes? I didn't give him a chance to start talking as I tapped the roof of the carriage, alerting the driver I was ready to leave. It was late and I was starting to grow wary…I needed my bed. But something more important needed to be discussed before then.

"Report," I ordered the demon who had yet to raise his head.

"I'm afraid I was interrupted before I'd made a full circuit of the camp. I'd like to penetrate a bit deeper into their organisation, but I have a request for you in that regard…" he answered, and I knew I would regret asking.

"What?" I asked, as he raised his head and looked me in the eye.

"I request that we join the circus."

* * *

After he had explained his plan to me, including the part about a circus test, I had remained silent for the rest of the trip to the townhouse. There were no words to perfectly explain how I felt about his idea. I also wasn't impressed with how he had acted on his own, without any further orders from me. That last part annoyed me the most.

We got out of the carriage and I stormed ahead, giving him only a second to open the door for me to continue on. But something told me he sensed my annoyance at this new turn of events. I had not intended to investigate the circus in this manner.

"I'm asking you," I snapped at him once the door closed, "why that suddenly became the plan! When did I order you to say that?!"

He didn't answer me as he removed my coat and held it over his arm, and out of annoyance, I took off my hat and threw it at him, forcing him to move to catch it. Why hadn't that bloody tiger bit him? Enough so there would be a mark?

I stepped further into the townhouse, seeing the lamps were lit and the building felt warm. A fire must have been lit in one or more of the rooms recently. It looked well-kept and clean, almost as if someone had been in a rush to do so this morning. I raised a hand to touch my breast pocket, feeling the card of two more tickets for the blasted circus, and the letter from her Majesty. I had intended to investigate the circus using the "compensation" Angel had given us, and not become a member of the troupe. According to Sebastian, he had already been offered a job so it was up to me to join following a test. There was nothing I could do which would interest a crowd!

"Does it inconvenience you, my lord?" Sebastian asked, following me a few feet into the house.

I found myself gritting my teeth and turning to glare at him. I hope he understood the annoyance was in response to him getting another job, and then looking another one for me. I saw a slight smile on his lips and knew he was enjoying my anger. Had he done this intentionally to get a reaction from me?

"Well, we'll argue about it later," I said as I sighed, "I'm exhausted. I want to go straight to bed."

That made it sound like we were a married couple after a spat. I sighed once more on that thought and made my way towards the stairs and my bed upstairs.

"Certainly, but…" Sebastian said as the door to my left was pulled open, revealing the caretaker I had forgotten about.

"Ciel!" he shouted before moving towards me, his arms outstretched for a hug, "Ciel, I'm so glad you're here! I've been waiting and waiting!"

He twirled on the spot, his shoes allowing him to do so. I should have ordered him to wear different clothes, because the spinning was beginning to annoy me as well. Another man walked out of the room to stand near the caretaker, his right hand bandaged as it had been since we had first met.

"Welcome home, Lord Phantomhive and Sebastian," the other man said gently, it sounded like he meant it as well.

"Right, I forgot _you_ were here," I muttered, placing one hand on my head. It was moments like this that made me feel older than twelve.

"Ciel, it's been too long!" the caretaker finally concluded his spinning and wrapped his arms around me, "how have you been?!"

"Namaste, everyone. You may be a bit surprised at the sudden appearance of these foreigners. Allow me to explain. This is Prince Soma, who has a most unfortunate history. The crown prince of one of India's native states, he came all the way to England chasing after a woman, only to be discarded in grand style when he arrived. Since then, this blithe spirit has been happily minding our townhouse after being tricked into it effortlessly by my young master. It scandalises me to think that he is a prince of anything. And this is his butler Agni. He's Prince Soma's butler, or "khansama" but he seems to function almost as a mother for his helpless master. They say a butler's fate is determined by his master, and watching Agni brings home to me the full gravity of those words," Sebastian explained to no one in particular.

"I told you to stop with the monologues!" I snapped at him, finally able to free myself from Prince Soma's grasp.

"I didn't expect you at the townhouse so early!" Prince Soma said with a big smile, "did you miss me that badly? Poor lonely Ciel!"

"Sorry, but I'm tired," I said to him as I turned away and aimed for the stairs, "I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now."

"What?!" the Prince exclaimed, "but I've been so excited to challenge you to that…"chess" game of yours! Don't you care about dashing my hopes?"

He sounded like a petulant child, someone who was used to getting their way. I had reached the first step before he caught my shoulders and pulled me back a few feet. I shook him off and turned my glare on him.

"No!" I snapped at him and went back to the stairs.

"What's wrong, Ciel? You look so grumpy!" he said as I got up a few steps before stopping, "we finally get to see each other again, so at least smile a little!"

"Shut it! I'm _tired_! So keep quiet!" I shouted at him, now seething. Today had not gone the way I had hoped it would.

"Right…" he mumbled, putting his fingers together to form an arch, "you won't attract good fortune if you don't smile, you know!"

I kept walking, made it to the next landing and turned to see if Sebastian was following me. He walked past the pair and up the stairs slowly, his head down like it had been in the carriage. Agni stepped towards Prince Soma and put a hand on his shoulder, a clear warning that he was on thin ice with me.

"Your Highness…" the Prince's butler said gently to the boy.

I left them, not wanting to be involved any further in their conversation in case Prince Soma thought I had the energy for chess. Sebastian walked ahead of me to open my bedroom door which had a fire lit. The room felt warmer than the one at my manor, for which I was grateful. It would make going to sleep so much easier tonight.

"That pair is as lively as ever," Sebastian commented, probably trying to boast my spirits.

I took off my frock coat and put it beside me, leaning my arms on the middle of the bed so I could close my eyes for a moment. There was a lot we needed to discuss before tomorrow, which Sebastian informed me was the day I had to impress the troupe.

"I'll give _them_ up as a bad job, but your plan is a different matter," I said as he set my coat down on the back of a chair, "why should I be forced to join the circus, too?"

"You aren't being "forced to join". You're passing a test and getting them to admit you," Sebastian replied as he walked back to me, and got down on his knees to undo my boots.

"You joining should be enough," I mumbled, "I _don't_ fancy living in a tent!"

"Are you sure, my lord?" the butler questioned as he took one boot off, "had you forgotten? This is your game. You don't mind me, your chess piece, deciding my own moves?"

He already knew I didn't like him acting on his own, considering I now had a job prospect for tomorrow because of it. I wouldn't allow him to roam freely, deciding his own actions. He wouldn't be able to acquire information easily. It would only take time before someone questioned him and his motives. This case would be over quicker if we had someone already working with us, someone who knew the workings of the circus like clockwork. But to have access to that type of information, Sebastian or I would have to become friendly with the leader of the troupe.

"I suppose you're right," I said after a moment, knowing I was defeated in this sense, "but circuses require _tricks_ , don't they? I can't do any."

"Oh?" Sebastian asked as he finished with my other boot and set them to the side before standing with my frock coat, "but you seem so good at "stay" and "fetch"."

"What?" I asked him, feeling annoyed at him for once again calling me a dog.

He put his hands through my coat to take out the two letters, one he hadn't seen before but ignored. He set them down on my bedside table, the new one on top with something written on it. I would look it over when I was in bed.

"Pardon me, my lord," Sebastian replied, setting my frock coat with my coat on the back of a chair, "at any rate, do your best at your entrance test tomorrow. As your butler, I'll give you my heartfelt support."

"Fine," I muttered, "I'll join too."

"Very good, my lord," the butler stated.

There was no more discussion on the matter, we would work out the finer details tomorrow morning. Sebastian informed me he would have me awake and dressed earlier than usual. I didn't ask when, I really didn't want to know. He finished with my normal clothes and dressed me in my bedshirt. I yawned as he pulled the covers back and I crawled in under them, pushing pillows against my back as he tucked the blanket around me, handing me my book I had been reading and left one candle lit for me to read by. He left the room without another word and I started reading, only to find my eyes drifted to that new letter, the one Angel had given me in my carriage.

I set my book down and moved towards the bedside table to pick it up, feeling the weight of it before sitting back and looked it over. It was a standard envelope, nothing special about it. I looked at the address and realised it was simply a note to find me. "To the man who was bitten by Betty and his companion," was written in red ink and a flowery scrawl, a woman's no doubt. I turned it over to see a seal, a flower with VR stamped on it. This must be someone's personal set, maybe the leader's? It was possible the troupe's leader had been in attendance and we hadn't noticed.

I located a letter opener and broke the seal, sprinkling red wax on my bedsheets before I set the knife aside to peer inside. I saw a letter wrapping the outside of a small satchel and two more purple tickets. I took out the tickets and saw their dates were scratched out, a small signature written there instead. This was probably proof the tickets were for any show of my choosing. I turned them over and saw another message for the ticket collector, "these tickets entitle the bearers to attend the circus for any date of their choice in the future." They were the only markings, and something told me the circus rarely gave these out. I looked back at the signature and saw the letters VR again while the rest of the name was a tight scrawl, hard to distinguish particular parts. That was probably to stop people from forging it.

I set the tickets aside and pulled the satchel out to view. It was a small black bag, and inside was a couple of shilling. I didn't understand the money and put it beside the tickets as I removed the letter. It had a header, "Noah's Ark Circus" written with a tent over it, the circus' symbol no doubt. The writing was clear to read, with a signature that matched the tickets at the bottom. This looked professional, and I felt certain this was the leader.

* * *

 _"To the man who was bitten by Betty and his companion,_

 _"On behalf of Noah's Ark Circus and the staff at the present moment of time, I wish to apologise for the injuries you sustained as a result of Betty the tiger. It has long been a standard tradition to get audience participation for that trick in particular, with said customer lying flat on the ground and Betty jumping over them. But something went awry, and the trick did not go according to plan. And because of this, you were injured. This is not allowed at the circus as we only wish to entertain the crowds, and we apologise for Betty's behaviour._

 _"I write to inform you that Betty and her handler Beast had both been reprimanded for the incident. Betty will not be performing for the next few shows and her handler will be training her to react better to customers and avoid any further issues of this nature. Should you return, I can assure you that nothing like this will happen again and your experience with us will only be pleasant._

 _"You may have noticed that this letter contains two tickets, which are to be used for any of our future shows while we are in London. We should be available until early December, but no date has been set for us to leave just yet. There is also a small satchel with money inside. This is to refund you the cost of your tickets, both you and your companion's, for this evening's show._

 _"I apologise once more for tonight, and hope to see you return to us soon,_

 _"Yours sincerely,"_

* * *

The last was the signature, and like the tickets, I couldn't determine more than VR. I put everything back in the envelope, wishing we could use those tickets for our investigation. But Sebastian was right, if we wished to find the children quickly before any harm was done to them, we would need to become members. I put the envelope on my bedside table, leaning against a lamp and attempted to return to my book for the next hour. But I was feeling drowsy and decided I had done enough for today, so I set the book down and put my pillows back. I pulled my sheets over my shoulders and fell asleep, wondering if the leader of the troupe would be there to witness my entrance test tomorrow…

* * *

"Young master, it is time to wake up," a voice called and the curtains were opened, making my eyelids shine bright red.

I opened my eyes slowly and glared at Sebastian, certain he saw it before he went to the tea trolley and turned the egg timer over. I sat up slowly, feeling exhausted. I must not have slept well, and considering what was in store for me, I wish I had another hour or two. I stretched before Sebastian put a blanket around me, as he normally did and handed me a cup of tea. A paper was put on my lap for me to flip through, with mention that Scotland Yard was no closer to finding the missing children or Jack the Ripper.

"We will be leaving in an hour, sir," Sebastian said as he put a tray in front of me, a small platter of food on it, "so breakfast will have to be quick."

I ate a fruit parfait of some sort and a scone before drinking another cup of Earl Grey. It would probably be my last drink for the foreseeable future, which depressed me slightly. I would be living in a tent, with little in the way of comfort or luxury.

"Sebastian, who will be overseeing this test?" I asked the demon as he set out my pauper clothes and tidied away my clothes from yesterday.

"The troupe," he answered, "but only two votes count. One is Joker, who is the replacement for the previous leader, and Angel, who deals with new recruits. You need to impress both of them to be admitted."

I was certain I came close to spitting out tea when I heard the girl's name.

"Won't Angel recognise me?" I asked him and he stopped working to glance towards the window, "she did perform her first trick with you. She was also the one who gave me compensation for your incident with the tiger."

"She will," Sebastian said, "but it cannot be helped at this point. We have to hope she doesn't remember particulars, and that you are one of many people that have witnessed her do that trick."

"Something tells me, she knows I'm coming today," I said to him in a low voice.

We said nothing else about the circus test, or Angel. We just focused on getting ready to leave. Sebastian dressed me and made sure I looked the part of a pageboy. Apparently my age hindered me in getting any other job. It was Sebastian's theory anyway, and I didn't bother questioning it. The butler found a scarf for me to use as winter had decided to arrive earlier in London, making everything too chilly to be comfortable. This morning was no different.

We left the townhouse before Prince Soma had woken up, which told me Sebastian had gotten me up and ready for servant times, before the master was supposed to awaken. This was probably the perfect time to start working at. I didn't ask him what time it was, not wanting to know how little I had slept. It would only add to my misery, which had started when I found out we weren't bringing a carriage with us.

"We are servants, sir," Sebastian pointed out as he opened the front gate for me to step out, "the master would never allow a carriage for our personal use. We would be expected to walk everywhere."

"Our master sounds like a bastard," I muttered and the demon supressed a laugh.

"He does," he commented as he pointed to the left, "we need to go through Whitechapel to reach the circus."

I didn't say anything as he led the way, and only snuggled into my scarf and wished it were a pillow. Or a blanket…or…the list only grew the more I thought on it. Getting up this early only offered me one insight, and that was how the early-risers lived. I watched as shop doors were opened and their stoops were swept. Signs were put out with specials, some young women writing them fresh with chalk. All while the sun slowly rose up in the sky.

As we neared Whitechapel, the atmosphere seemed to change. What had been friendly now seemed barren and abandoned. Women walked in pairs or with men to accompany them. Patrolmen wandered close together, their lanterns still lit from the night before. Everything about this small section of London seemed to scream dangerous, which only meant I had to solve this case soon. No more prostitutes should be murdered while I dawdled in a circus.

The crowds didn't pick up again until we were out of Whitechapel, and only then was it vendors trying to sell what they had gotten an hour previous. Flowers were put in vases for women to smell, jewellery put out for eyes to spot. All a lure to bring customers out of their homes to see what they could buy…but only if they had the money for it. Sebastian took a right and we headed up a street of vendors, a mixture of people ranging from butchers to farmers. I spotted the closed gates of the circus then, the lock firmly in place. I doubted it was the only security there, considering the animals the circus owned. There could have been a few guard dogs as well for all I knew. There was a young girl leaning against the gates, her hands in an overlarge frock coat and a wool scarf wrapped a few times around her slender neck.

She was wearing a white dress, the corset partially showing in the front. But it was the hair that told me who it was. The white blonde curls were twisted in a loose ponytail that went over one shoulder, almost as if she had gotten out of bed like that. She looked up and when she saw us and gave us a small wave, a welcome if ever I saw one. Angel may have looked straight out of her bed, but something told me, she had been awake longer than I had.

We reached her a moment later and she gave us a tired smile, one that showed she wasn't wearing make-up. One of her eyes was healing but still looked bruised and sore to the touch. Her nose was freshly bandaged with a slight cut on her throat visible when she lifted her head a little. She put her hand out to Sebastian, a smile on her lips as he shook it.

"You must be Sebastian," she said, "the one who was bitten by Betty."

I felt my body stiffen, begging anything that would listen for her not to remember me. She put her hand out to me, and I took it carefully, feeling the chill it emitted. Her eyes were a bright greyish blue, and they seemed to spark with recognition but she didn't say anything in that regard. She gave me a similar smile to Sebastian as she shook my hand.

"And you must be the pageboy Sebastian told Joker about last night," she said, "what's your name?"

I hadn't thought about names, not last night or on the walk here. I knew now that had been stupid, and I should have known better. What could I name myself other than Ciel? I could hardly say my name was Sebastian and that we both worked for the same master. It wouldn't even sound plausible.

"My name is…er…F-Finnian," I said after a moment. I was an idiot for thinking no one would ask me such a direct question.

"Nice to meet you, Finnian," she said, giving me a nicer smile, a warmer one, "you're taking the entrance test this morning, right?"

"Y-yeah," I said, hoping she thought the nervous stutter was normal for me.

"You don't need to be nervous," she said gently, like you would for a child, "this is normally only a formality. Sebastian here was telling us you would be a brilliant addition to our troupe."

"I wasn't aware you had talked about me," I mumbled and Sebastian turned away, trying to hide his chuckle.

"Well, I asked him about you," she stated before looking over our shoulders, "good timing."

We turned and saw a man, a butcher who worked among the vendors, walking towards us with a crate. He had a smile on his face, one that seemed too bright for the early morning. He was an older man, with greying hair and weak arms. But Angel stepped forward and took the crate from him, her smile also too bright.

"Thank you so much, Jerry," she said as she handed him a small satchel, "how's your wife keeping?"

"She's alright, Vanessa," he said, almost chuckling, "I'm surprised you remember something like that. I told you…when we first met last week!"

"I have a _good_ memory," she said and winked at me before returning to Jerry, "the troupe loved the cutlets from yesterday. We made a stew with them. You were right about the spices."

The older man blushed, clearly unaccustomed to the compliments or the attention of a young girl. He waved it off and wiped the front of his spotless apron.

"No problem, Vanessa," he said, "I threw in some chicken for you and the others. Make sure to cook it through until the meat is crispy. I find that's when it's best to eat it. Some lemon wouldn't go amiss either. It's what the wife cooks every Saturday for me."

"I'll try it then," and she waved to him as he left her side, "he's a nice man."

"Are you friendly with all the vendors?" Sebastian asked as her as she turned back to the gates.

"Have to be," she replied, "we had a few problems in a town we visited about five years ago. A vendor got really uppity about the circus being near his shop and told the council we were slowing his business and attracting a bad crowd. The council came to the circus and told us to pack our bags, all because that one man got a stick up his ass. So I find it better if you talk to them, let them know where you work and what you need from them. If they see you as a returning customer, they tend to stand up for you should councils be involved."

"That's very business savvy," I mumbled as Sebastian took the crate from her and she took out a ring of keys to locate the front gates'.

"Well, I'm practically the accountant for the circus," she answered as she found the key she was looking for and opened the gates, "welcome to the circus, gentlemen."

We walked in and she pulled the gates closed behind us, locked them and motioned for us both to follow her. She led us away from the public area and near the back with other tents, one filled with food. Sebastian put the crate down and she separated the foods from perishables to stuff that could keep. When she got to the meat, she pulled a bucket out with ice in it and made sure the meat was in a jute bag before putting it in the bucket.

"Best we could come up with since we're on the road so much," she said as she set the crate aside to be filled with other foods in due time, "the lower tiers are responsible for reporting to me when we are short of something. They would also prepare the meals for everyone, but that's normally on a rotation basis," she said as she stood, putting a hand on her hip and giving us a soft smile.

"Is there anything else we should know for our stay here?" Sebastian asked her, she put a finger to her lips as if thinking about it.

"Just don't cause any trouble. The circus already has a bad reputation," she said with a sigh.

"This circus has a bad reputation?" I asked and she shook her head, and started walking away from the tent.

"Circuses in general have bad reputations. People die, children are caught in the carousel…things happen and it's no one's fault. But the troupes are associated with those things and people in their different towns hold onto that. You can understand where they're coming from, so should you need to leave," and she stopped to look at us, "make sure you remove all show make-up and your costume. Pauper or middle class clothes only, and make sure someone knows you left. I'm normally in charge of the new recruits so just let me know you're going and when you expect to come back, should you decide to come back at all. I won't ask what you are doing, but should you not be back at the time you tell me, I will go looking. You would be my responsibility."

"Aren't you worried though?" I asked her and she gave me a meek smile.

"Of the murderer?" and I nodded, "sure I am. I thought I ran into old Jack less than a week ago. Scared seven bells out of me but turned out to be some desperate mugger down on his luck."

"Is that how you got your injuries?" Sebastian asked her and she nodded.

"Just be careful," she whispered, "this place has gone to hell in a handcart."

We didn't say anything else to her as she guided us through what I classed as a maze before the tents opened up to reveal a small training ground. There was various objects out and ready for someone to use, but that was not what held my attention. It was the group gathered on either side of a small walkway. Angel walked me to the middle and stopped when she reached Joker, and a white tiger separated itself and moved towards her. I found I didn't sneeze when Mei stopped three feet from me, and I couldn't comprehend that. Angel leaned up on her toes to whisper something to Joker before he looked me over, like a horse for sale. I looked away to see where Sebastian was, and found him near the back with four women hanging off him. Could he not be a flirt during a case? Maybe just once?

"What a lovely little tacker! A boy, I reckon?" Joker questioned after a moment, stepping closer to look me over as Angel gave me a reassuring smile.

"Yes, I've been in service as a pageboy," I said as I had with Angel, "my name is, er…F-Finnian."

"That's an imposing name!" Joker said with a chuckle, "well, I'll give 'ee a stage name if 'ee pass. Art 'ee a boy, though?"

"Yes…" I replied slowly, not sure how else I could answer his question. Wasn't it obvious I was a boy?

"But just being adorable won't see thee through a circus," Joker stated.

"Though there appear to be some…exceptions," Angel muttered and nodded towards Sebastian, but no one seemed to notice except me and I smiled, letting her know I heard her

"We must do tricks, too. What's your speciality?" Joker asked, clearly continuing on and having not heard Angel.

"Well…darts, I suppose," I mumbled, not sure how that could translate into a trick for a circus.

"That'll be knife-throwing, then," Joker stated before looking over the crowd gathered around us, "Dagger! Give him some knives."

Dagger moved away from his companion, who I recognised as Doll, to remove a small satchel by his hip. I then saw him overturn it carefully so all the knives fell out into my hands. They felt heavier than darts; that was certain. Maybe I should have picked a different trick?

"Here!" Dagger said with a cheerful expression.

"Thank you…" I answered in a low voice.

"Now aim for the target," Joker instructed and I looked to where he was pointing.

It was a board cut out into a rough shape of a person, painted black with white lines marking the inner 'rings' of the outline. They had a face as well, which had the addition of more white lines. But it was not the white lines I assumed I had to aim for, but the large pink heart on the body. Was I supposed to hit it from this distance? I normally played darts closer to the target…I wasn't so sure my shot would be as good from this distance, let alone hit the mark. What would Joker say to me should I fail? Would he give me a chance to try again?

I just knew as I gritted my teeth and lined up to take my first shot, I wouldn't let him give me a second chance, and would succeed on my first go. I held the blade between two of my fingers, feeling the cold steel warm as I tried to focus on that pink heart.

"You're a mean one, sir. His skinny arms couldn't even throw far enough!" I heard Dagger say to Joker.

"I am not! It's no kind of show if the target's nearby, is it?" he questioned, which riled me up a little bit.

I took a deep breath and watched as the pair moved away from me and towards the target, putting themselves in line to watch my shots and make sure I hit it. I watched the target and pulled my arm back before throwing it, letting go of the knife on the way back. I watched as the knife went up before descending. I could already hear them laughing should I fail, and it was not a sound I wished to hear.

"See? I knew it-" Dagger began as the knife made its way to the ground before something pushed it up, and into the heart of the cardboard person.

"Blimey!" Joker and Dagger both echoed as Angel whistled low to demonstrate her approval. There were only two people I really had to impress today, and I think I had managed it on my first shot. I smirked, hoping it came across as confidence. I threw another knife and it descended like the first before being forced up under the first hit. Sebastian's 'heartfelt support' was no doubt at work here, so I knew I was in for sure.

The knives were thrown at the target, some heading straight while others had to be manoeuvred by Sebastian to keep hitting the heart of the board. But eventually, I ran out of knives and took my time to walk towards the target. It was there I nodded towards the knives now bunched around the heart, a bull's eye had I been playing darts.

"Will that be all?" I asked them, making it sound like I was wasting time doing tricks like this.

Joker looked thoughtful as Angel wandered closer to me, standing on her toes to pull the knives free. Once they were all gathered, she put them in Dagger's hands so he could focus on something other than my apparent perfect shot. Angel stood near Joker, clearly assessing me. Sebastian clapped, like a companion would had this been a normal entrance test.

"Well! That's fine control," Joker commented.

I smirked, thinking that was it so I made my way towards Sebastian, only to be stopped by Joker's next words.

"You're more talented than I reckoned, but the test isn't over yet!" he said and I froze beside him, "next is tightrope walking."

* * *

I wasn't exactly sure how I ended up in the performance tent, climbing a ladder with Doll following behind me. Sebastian, Joker and Angel remained on the ground, watching me. Mei stood near Angel, licking her paws clean as if this was a bore for her. One of the first things I noticed when I reached the top, other than the rope that would need to be tied around my waist for "safety", was the fact that there was no safety net to catch me if I fell. How could anyone comfortably walk one of these things without a net?

Doll gathered the rope in her hands to wrap around me tight, and for a brief moment it felt like I couldn't breathe. But that was short-lived as I remembered there was no safety net. I didn't mind heights so much, it was the fact there was no security should I fall. If Sebastian saw me fall, he would move to catch me, but that would give us away before we had even started our investigation. Angel already recognised me…which I hadn't counted on. Doll pulled on the rope, tightening it further and hurt my ribs.

"That's tight," I mumbled, knowing only she could hear me.

"Cope. Do you want to die?" she asked me in an even voice.

"Doll!" Joker called up to the performer, "Do that lifeline up tight! He's new, and he'll be hurt if he falls!"

"Could you test me on something else, please?" I called down to him, not very certain this lifeline would keep me safe.

"What? Quitting already, boy?" Joker answered, looking oddly amused.

I looked to Angel who seemed concerned from her spot, her right hand twitched slightly. She was standing beside Sebastian, and he was watching her as she watched me. Why was she concerned?

"N-No! I'd just rather do a different-.." I answered Joker, but he decided to ignore me.

"Then stank along! Haven't got all day, have we?!" he called up.

Sebastian turned his attention back to me, and I was sure his 'heartfelt support' would help me across. I wasn't sure exactly what he had done with the knives, but I was sure I would find out while walking this rope. Angel's expression shifted from concern to worry, but I took it that she wasn't sure if I would continue with this test. I clenched my hands and tried to stop myself shaking. I had told myself not to dawdle in the circus so I could find the murderer. That meant passing this test, finding the children and then moving on.

"Will you quit?" Doll asked me, still holding the lifeline in her hands.

"No, I'll go," I answered before taking my first step.

The rope was tight and hung from behind me, on a pulley to the ceiling to make sure it wasn't tripped on. I wobbled, as anyone would if they weren't used to this, and put my arms out to gain some balance. I took deep breaths, but it hurt my ribs so the breaths I took were shallow.

The rope was safest at the platforms as it would be taunt, but as I edged out to the middle, the rope swayed. I moved with it, and stopped every few inches to regain my balance. I looked forward, certain that if I saw the ground I would lose my balance. The rope swayed a bit more and I turned to adjust to it, only to lose my footing. Gasps echoed around me and I could feel the rope tighten around me. Would it hurt if I fell?

I felt something sharp hit my side, and it felt like I was being punched. It was followed by another one at my other side. Was this Sebastian?

* * *

(Angel's POV)

"Oh, he got his balance back!" Joker commented as he smiled at Finnian up on the rope.

I was watching him, seeing something fall from the height as he started walking again. I wandered closer and dropped to see what it was. Small stones were hitting the floor, and I thought they must be from the front entrance. How had they found their way into the performance tent?

I looked up at Doll and saw she was surprised, and I looked past her. I saw something that worried me more than the sudden fall of stones. The lifeline seemed lax and I knew I had been right to worry. Doll used it for practise and if it wore out before she got her chance to do a run through, she could get seriously hurt. I found a piece of paper in my pocket and scribbled "new rope" underneath it, in an attempt to remind myself. I also picked up a few of the stones before returning to Mei, who sniffed my pocket before mewling. What were these two new recruits up to?

* * *

(Ciel's POV)

I dropped down the ladder once the safety line was removed. Sebastian had helped me along, there was no doubt about it, but did it have to hurt as much? I wasn't sure what he had done, not even when I walked towards Joker. Angel had turned away from me, her eyes on her tiger. Had something happened while I had been on the tightrope?

"Amazing! I didn't reckon you'd make it across!" Joker announced as he clapped for me, and I wondered why he had bothered putting me up there if he had thought that.

"Thanks," I mumbled to Joker, my sides beginning to ache horribly.

"This cutie passes then, eh, Joker?" Dagger called and I saw he had joined us at some point.

"Not yet!" Joker snapped, making Dagger and I both jump. Dagger had moved to rub my hair, a gesture I wasn't enthused about. His hand lay frozen on my skull at Joker's words.

"There's something important 'ee be missing!" Joker commented dryly, "a great big _smile_!"

I had expected another test, maybe something involving one of the animals, but who counted seeing someone smile as a test. Was this the final step to join the circus? I had smiled for Angel when she had been nice to me, but now…how was I supposed to force a smile that looked genuine? I looked to Angel, hoping she had some comment or another but she had turned to the exit and was leaving. She had time before she left and stopped by Joker. She whispered something in his ear and he nodded before she left. I watched her go, and wondered what she had said.

"Come on, smile!" Joker instructed in a cheerful manner, putting a hand on my shoulder, "what's wrong? Don't look so chuff!"

Sebastian was standing nearby, his back turned and I saw he was laughing. His body shook with it. How could he find this amusing? He was a demon! I returned my attention to Joker, to see he was smiling.

"Here, smiiiiile!" Joker instructed as I gritted my teeth. Had I forgotten how to smile in less than an hour? How was that possible?

"Come, come!" Joker insisted, "smile!"

I finally moved my lips and lifted my head, hoping I was smiling. Because if I wasn't, I was too scared to ask what the hell my face looked like. It seemed to do the trick and Joker clapped, clearly impressed. Dagger smiled at me before moving aside so I could see the demon. Sebastian was attempting, and failing, to compose himself. I would find a way to pay him back as I lowered the intensity of my smile so it looked normal.

"So, is he allowed to join now?" Dagger asked, his voice reminding me oddly of Elizabeth's.

"You're in, Finnian," Joker said, and he put his hand on my head, "I'll bring 'ee to our seamstress for your costumes."

* * *

The seamstress was a woman named Megan, and she had made our costumes based on our new names. Those names, Joker said, would not be mentioned until the meeting that evening where we would be introduced.

"Is Angel alright?" a man asked as he walked into Megan's tent, "she seemed pretty down."

"She's been down a lot lately," Megan commented as she stuck pins in my costume, "where is she anyway?"

"She left and people are out looking for her," the man stated, "I was wondering if she was in here with you."

"No…but if you find her, let her know her costume needs to be fitted again," and the man left the tent.

"Angel's missing?" Sebastian asked.

"She sometimes disappears for a few hours, no one knows where she goes. Then she comes back, says nothing as if she's been in her tent the whole time…" Megan sighed as she started sewing, "she's not like the others."

"Why?" I asked.

"She's not from the same place as the other first tiers, she joined them after the circus was formed. Someone told me she started working here when she was eight years old!"

That was the last of the conversation about Angel as Megan refused to say another word. This circus was hiding something, that was obvious…but did it involve Angel? Was she the one behind the kidnappings?

We were collected by Joker from Megan's tent and brought to the performance tent once more. I looked through the crowds that had gathered, seeing the performers from yesterday as well as a few of the side acts that had been outside. Two men, one with flaming red hair, looked grim while the man beside him had black and grey hair. The latter looked intoxicated, and beyond basic reasoning.

Joker stopped us and stood beside me, ready to address the crowds. I sought Angel out, wondering where she was, but couldn't see her or her tiger. Where had she gone? What had she said to Joker? What if she had said she recognised us? Would Joker look into us, see if we were who we said we were?

"All right, everyone! We have some new mates joining us!" Joker called out, "This is Black…"

"I'm Black. Pleased to meet you," Sebastian stated, his costume was his suit with a fresh shirt and a ribbon around his throat. Megan may have done something to a top hat for him, but I wasn't completely sure.

"And the wee one here is Smile!" Joker concluded and I felt confused…why was I called Smile?

"Sm-?!" I started, wondering if our names could be changed.

"Give 'em a warm welcome, everyone!" Joker concluded and I glanced over at Sebastian to see he was laughing again.

"Right!" everyone present called out.

"Go on, Smile, say a few words," Sebastian said, trying to supress his laugh.

"P-P-Pleased to meet you," I said, not sure of anything else to say.

"Come on, Smile—smile!" Joker instructed, and I was starting to think he was enjoying my discomfort.

* * *

"Follow me, Black and Smile!" Joker said once everyone had left the tent, "I'll give ye a quick backstage tour."

He didn't look comfortable about it, which Sebastian must have noticed.

"Do you normally give these tours?" Black/Sebastian asked him.

"Hmm…no, Angel deals with the new recruits. But she isn't here…" Joker said, sounding almost sad, "she left Mei in her tent."

"So she left the property?" I asked and he shrugged his shoulders.

"She sometimes gets in a mood and disappears for a little bit…but she'll be back tonight to give ye your room assignments," Joker finished as he brought us around the tents to the common area for the performers.

"First, the tents ye'll be sleeping," Joker pointed out bland generic tents for us, "this is where the "second-stringers" live—stage-hands and newcomers and such. They sleep about two, three to a tent."

He moved away from those tents to a better lit one. It had some people sitting at tables, their eyes on food in front of them.

"Over there's where we eat," Joker stated and pointed to a tent that Angel had been at with us earlier, "and that's where we store food. Cooking's a big part of the job while 'ee be new, so work hard."

"Furthest down the line is the infirmary, where Black was yesterday," Joker continued before guiding us towards some purple tents, one in particular had people walking in and out of it, which must be Angel's.

"And past here," he motioned to a small line of lights that acted like a fence, "are the private tents for the main cast."

"Private tents?"

"The big names get places to themselves, you could say. Oh, and—the first one is Snake's, so best keep your distance. He lets lots of poisonous ones run loose. One bite, and 'ee be stone dead."

"Do you not have any anti-venom?" I asked and he looked me over.

"We did," Joker answered, "but second tier members dared each other to go in…the supply ran out about, three years ago and no one replaced it. Snake and his serpents are cruel shy of strangers, so ye newcomers must be extra careful."

Joker looked ready to depart from our tour, probably to help in the search for Angel before he turned and looked me over.

"That reminds me—Smile, what happened to thy right eye?"

"Er," I started, not sure what I could say, "there was an accident."

"Oh…poor thing, with 'ee so young. 'ee remind me of Angel when I found her…" Joker said with a sigh, "well, we're all damaged here, so let's all be friends!"

"Sorry, what?" I asked as Joker led me away from Sebastian, who followed slowly behind.

"Did all the players join up during your travels, like us?" Sebastian commented.

"Most, yes, but we original first-stringers all come from the same place," Joker stated.

"Is Angel an original first tier?" I asked.

"No…she joined us shortly after the circus started," Joker answered, "the rest of us were childhood friends, like."

"Childhood friends?" Sebastian asked.

"Yep!" Joker announced but my mind was focused on the fact that Angel had joined them later.

"Where did Angel come from?"

"London, around these parts as far as I know," Joker replied.

"You mentioned that you found her…?" Sebastian asked.

"She was left on a street, burnt and sick. Poor thing was delirious…and starved," Joker said, gaining a faraway look.

I saw Jumbo was playing the harmonica, which seemed to snap Joker out of his memories. I wonder what he had seen…The song Jumbo appeared to be playing was Tom the piper's son.

""Tom, Tom, the piper's son"…Mother Goose?" I asked Joker, wondering if that was the song I was hearing.

"Oh, well spotted, Smile! Not too many know that song," Joker said, seeming surprised I knew it.

"It's nothing, just, my last master quite liked it," I stated, thinking that my last master could be me. Joker leaned closer, as if suspicious of me already. Damn it!

"I must say, it surprises me that all you first-stringers are lifelong friends," Sebastian said in a way that saved me from further scrutiny.

"Oh? Snake and Angel are the exception, though," Joker pointed out, "his snake-handling is tops, and we needed a snake man, so he took the shortest road to the top. He and Angel are good friends as far as I know. First-stringers get to eat first, so they don't have to fight tooth and nail for their food, and they get their own tents. So everyone else has a friendly rivalry, trying to be first-string," Joker led the way to another tent, one filled with people I had never seen before, "see 'em all working? There's some time before we open, so the newcomers are all practising, taking every moment they can, looking to earn their public debut."

I looked around them, seeing the tricks the first tiers did, only messed up by the newcomers. A safety line was set up here to catch people as they fell, which I was grateful for.

"Everything starts from the basics!" Joker said, "you two get nice and ready before you—"

"Joker! Got a moment?" another person asked and I saw it was Beast.

"Sure," Joker answered.

I watched as Beast glared at Sebastian, no doubt about the Betty incident. According to Angel's letter, they had both been reprimanded and until Betty was trained, there were no more shows for the pair. Did Beast consider that something Sebastian had done to her?

"Right then, work hard, boys!" Joker called out before disappearing.

I stood there with Sebastian, my eyes on the entrance of the tent. What had happened to the circus's Angel?

* * *

"I can't believe the entrance to the private quarters is a tent of poisonous snakes…" I muttered, as I had for the last few hours, "not guard dogs but guard vipers, eh?"

I was sitting forward, Sebastian was pushing on my back to loosen some of my muscles. I hadn't been very relaxed and anything I attempted, I failed miserable. I glanced towards the knife-thrower and knew he had gotten a good laugh when I had managed to hit the dirt more than once. But since I was a member, Joker didn't need to know that I was unable to do anything. Once I had concluded this case, I would return to Jack the Ripper and then to my manor for a rest.

"Yes. I say, young master—or rather, Smile—your muscles are very tight," Sebastian said, clearly in case anyone was listening.

I tried to reach forward, to pass my toes with my fingers but I couldn't manage further than my knees, and that was without Sebastian pushing me. If he did push me, I got to the middle of my calf before my muscles demanded the torture to stop. I was really going to get nowhere fast at this rate.

"Keep your opinions to yourself!" I hissed under my breath, "I suppose we'll have to rise to the first string to access the private area. A few poisonous snakes should be no challenge for you. We need to know whether the children are—"

"They aren't here," Sebastian commented.

"What?" I asked, almost immediately.

"I didn't sense them in the circus tents at all," Sebastian replied, "either last night or during today's tour."

"If Angel hadn't run off, we would have had her as our guide," I muttered as I stood up and Sebastian leaned his back against mine so we could hook arms, "we could have asked her about the recruiting age."

"And have her question yours?" Sebastian asked and I realised it would have been a touch too suspicious to ask her outright.

"Still, there's no proof they _aren't_ involved in the disappearances, either," as Sebastian moved forward so I was stretched out on his back. It was a tough task as I was shorter than him, and could not reciprocate the same stretch with him. He would be too heavy as well as too tall.

"We can't leave here until we've thoroughly investigated them," I continued, leaning forward to take some of his weight. This must look bloody well ridiculous.

"Indeed," Sebastian replied, "after all, it's possible that they aren't in a fit state for me to sense them."

"Don't say such unlucky things. _She_ wishes for their safe return," I stated as Sebastian leaned forward and took me with him.

"Very good, my lord. Ah, and although I don't sense the children…" Sebastian started.

"What is it?" I asked when he didn't conclude his sentence.

"Hey, you two! Quit stretching and start practising!" Dagger said as he looked down at my face, scaring the life out of me.

"Mr Dagger! Right, sorry," I said quickly as Sebastian let me down gently to avoid hurting me.

"It's your first day, right? I'll coach you through practise," Dagger said with a smile.

"Any news on Angel?" Sebastian asked and Dagger's smile dropped a few degrees.

"No," he replied as I rubbed my back, "she's still missing…," he shook out his head before upping the smile once more, forgetting we had spoken to him about Angel, "first, we need to decide what your acts will be. Any requests?"

"I'd prefer something less physically demanding than the tightrope. _Greatly_ prefer," I said, knowing we would get nowhere with Dagger. He wouldn't be involved in anything important to do with the circus. The best bet we had on finding information would be Joker…or Angel.

"Yeah," Dagger laughed, "you do seem pretty frail. Right then, I'll teach Smile all about knife-throwing. What about you, Black?"

"I have no particular preference," Sebastian replied coolly.

"Yeah, you're a real athlete," Dagger said, almost as if remembering something, "try whatever you think you can manage. I'll watch!"

"Of course," Sebastian replied before running off, like a child in a sweet shop, "first the trapeze."

I hadn't noticed him climbing the ladder and next thing I knew, he was swinging. I couldn't determine exactly what he was doing until he let go and caught another swing, one handed before dropping off onto the other platform. Was he trying to blow our cover, on the first day?

"Next juggling," he said as he jumped down and gathered bottles.

"Pole-climbing," and that resulted in him running up the pole at speed, like a demon and not a human.

"Rings of fire," and he jumped through the rings like Betty was trained to do, supposedly.

"Aerial aerobatics."

"The trampoline."

"Skipping rope."

"Contortions!" I dropped my head, starting to feel a headache as everyone else "ohh!"ed and "ahh!"ed the demon.

"Next, I'll swallow this sw—" Sebastian began, a sword posed to go down his throat. He would do it; that was the thing that bothered me the most.

"Enough, enough!" Dagger insisted, clearly having seen enough.

Once he had put the sword down and walked safely away from it, a crowd gathered around Sebastian, clearly impressed by what they had seen him do. I leaned closer, hoping I could convey that our mission was more important than him swallowing that sword.

"Hey, you're getting carried away! Act more like a new—" I started, but I was interrupted.

"Well, I'll be darned. _Another_ bright new star? I'd better keep sharp!" Dagger said in awe, but the fact he said 'another' caught and held my attention.

"Another?" I asked him, hoping he could enlighten me as to who was better than the demon.

"There's one more brilliant lad who just joined up," Dagger explained, "look, over there!"

Dagger pointed up towards the ceiling and the tightrope where someone was walking, a long stick held in his hands.

"He's a former civil servant, or something, and he's strangely serious," Dagger continued before cupping his mouth, "I say! Come down, Suit!"

"Who's that?" I asked as I saw him in the light.

"A reaper," Sebastian muttered, like a bad taste in his mouth. The demon clearly recognised him as something.

"Care to explain it to me?" I mumbled and he lowered himself so he could whisper in my ear.

"Reapers appear when humans are at death's door to harvest their lives. To this end, they each have their own "death scythe", and they follow the list of souls to properly execute their duties. They eliminate _anything_ in their way. They're called grim reapers. Their job is to check each dying soul's kaleidoscope of memories—its Cinematic Record—to determine whether they should die or be left alive. One thing is certain, however. If a reaper shows up, it means before too long, someone is destined to die."

"Ah, yes, I thought I sensed something foul. For goodness's sake…" Suit muttered as he held his stick in his hands before aiming it for Sebastian who missed it by an inch. When I saw it closer, it looked like a pair of gardening sheers to me.

Sebastian moved to stand in front of me, informing me that this man was a threat to some degree.

"I didn't think I would meet you. What prey are you hunting for this time, you vile demon?" Suit snapped.

"Demon?" the audience around us questioned.

"What does he mean?"

 _No good—they'll find out who Sebastian is…_

"I say, what are you on about?!" I asked him, stepping away from Sebastian.

"As if it weren't bad enough that reapers are in such short supply, demons have to pop up everywhere, too?" Suit questioned, sounding tired and worn out, "I'll have to work yet _another_ late night!"

"Reaper…?" Dagger mumbled, clearly trying to understand what was going on.

"Well, you see—" I tried, hoping to say it was a joke.

"Look, you," Dagger said as he moved forward to hit Suit on the side of the head, "cut it out, you plonker. You say your gags with such a straight face, people can't tell they're gags! This guy's been cracking jokes since the day he got here. Going on about "souls" and stuff. He's an incurable occult freak! It really got on Angel's nerves too, she gave him a warning and everything!"

"I'm not actually joking," the man muttered.

"Let me introduce you to the new rookies!" Dagger insisted, "the little one's Smile, and the big one's Black! You're our rising stars, so play nice, all right?"

Dagger patted them both on their shoulders but I saw how tense it was. It was like two cats locked in a box and ready to fight their way out, even if it meant killing the other.

"I flatly refuse to play nice with vermin," Suit replied coldly before turning away from us.

""Flatly refuse"?! Circuses run on teamwork, you know!" Dagger called out after him, to no avail.

"What would one of them want at a circus?" I asked Sebastian.

"It's rare for a reaper to go undercover himself, as well. Still this tells us something for certain. Something is going on at this circus."

* * *

 **Hi everyone, hope you liked this chapter :) The next one will be up soon and let me know what you think so far. You can PM me if you have any questions :)**


	9. Chapter 9: Undercover In The Circus

I opened the gate for the circus slowly, feeling drained as I crept in. One of my boots was missing its heel but it didn't bother me. My tights were ripped to my knee, but I couldn't feel it. It had been mentioned by a woman I had walked past, and she had said it like it was a scandal. I locked the gates behind me, hearing the circus pre-show was on and music was playing.

I looked to the sky and saw it was dark, the moon was beginning to make its appearance in. I bet the haven would look oddly romantic right now, and I started to walk towards it when I saw a lantern raised. Someone was doing rounds, and I didn't want to be found just yet. I crept to my tent and crawled under it, seeing Mei was where I had left her. The handyman Darryl was sitting nearby, his head resting on his shoulder as he slept. Mei was licking her paws as if to count time.

"Mei Day!" I whispered and she turned to look at me, her eyes glowed before she jumped off my bed.

The springs bounced and made an odd sound, freezing both Mei and I in place as we watched to see if Darryl would wake up. He mumbled before turning, his head now resting on the back of the straight back chair. It looked painful, but should I try to fix it, he could wake up and alert the others that I was back.

Mei sighed before returning her attention to me, and I raised the side of my tent for her to crawl under. I stood up outside and watched as she shook herself out and sniffed my legs. She then gave me a look, one that suggested she was worried, before I gave her a smile and saw anyone else, I wanted a wash. During the shows, no one would be in the showers so I could wash up, get clean clothes and then see Joker. I could also tend to Mei and redress her bandages.

I walked to the supply tent and grabbed a towel, bandages, soap and some house slippers before heading to the showers. As I had thought, no one was in there so I locked the door behind Mei and set down my supplies on a bench. Mei sat down near them and meowed, attempting to get my attention as I stripped. Once my clothes were in a pile by the door, I sat down on a bench and grabbed the cloth by the bucket to wipe myself with the freezing water.

"Mei," I whispered as I picked up the soap and lathered it in my hand before running it through my hair, "I had to go out for a little bit."

She didn't look impressed and ran her paw along the ground, claws out, so it scratched the floor. She didn't do anything else as I grabbed a bucket and poured cold water over myself, gasping as the chill ran down me. I picked up another bucket and poured it over my head before I could stop myself and then ran the soap over me. The skin tights were perfect and unblemished, but I washed them as I had before. Once I had finished, another bucket of water was poured over me before I wrapped the towel around my chest, where it covered to mid-thigh, and got onto my knees.

I looked at Mei as I unwrapped her bandages from yesterday, seeing the cuts had started to scab over but some broke once I pulled the bandages free. She growled under her breath, but did nothing else. She was simply vocalising her annoyance. I got the water and washed her cuts before grabbing my old dress to dry her. I picked up the bandages and wrapped them around her, before leaning away.

"I am sorry, Mei Day," I whispered and she put her head on my shoulder, "Betty would have killed Sebastian…"

She purred by my ear, making it feel like my body was vibrating. She then pulled away to watch me stand and dust down my knees. I stuck my feet in the house slippers and placed the soap on a small shelf by the door for someone else's use. I put my finger to my lips for Mei who followed me to the door, her tail hitting the benches before she reached me. She looked tired, and I knew how she felt.

I walked around the back, near the forest, avoiding two more lanterns before I heard voices. There shouldn't be anyone out here, let alone performers. I pressed myself against some crates and felt Mei take my side. I glanced over, seeing the sides of two second-stringers. I recognised them, Sebastian and Suit. Sebastian seemed to be wearing the same outfit as before, although he now had a top hat on his head and make-up on his face. I'd have to ask what his new name was…before I addressed him anyway. Suit, who I knew was a man named William, was someone I didn't wish to speak to again. He had scared a few of the new recruits over the last week, talking about souls and death. Some people had taken it to heart and began contemplating how much time they had left.

But something bothered me. Why were the two of them out here, together? They didn't strike me as a pair of friends who had decided to have a conversation. It looked hostile from here, like two enemies…

I put my hand down on Mei's head and turned so I could hear them as they spoke. I needed to know if they were a threat…and if they were, was Finnian a threat as well?

"Why am I here, you ask?" Suit said, his voice reminded me of a monotone, "to think I, an administrator, would be impressed into field duty to clean up after a certain prat in Collections while he's missing! I curse my luck. I didn't think graduating with him entailed traveling round fixing his mistakes."

"I assume that a grim reaper personally doing undercover work implies special circumstances?" Sebastian questioned.

What the hell were they talking about? Weren't grim reapers normally in long black cloaks, a skeleton with a scythe? I looked towards them, and didn't see anyone matching that description in my head.

"Do you really think I'd reveal soul-related information to a demon?" Suit asked Sebastian, "that would be like setting rabbits loose before a wolf."

A demon? Didn't they normally have pitchforks and pointed horns on their heads? I couldn't see cloven feet either, which made me wonder if we had recruited two lunatics. The problem I was having with my theory was, they both were talking with straight faces, as if calling each other demon or reaper was common enough. It was like me calling Joker and him calling me Angel.

"I'm afraid I have no interest in cheap souls," Sebastian replied. I didn't think a demon would pass up any soul…no matter how "cheap" it was. Was he talking to Suit about buying them off him?

"Fine words for a starving demon. I know you're half-mad with hunger," Suit commented dryly. That didn't sound too good, a half-mad demon walking around a circus who was hungry for souls. It wasn't something I could order a vendor to give me…and if I were to ask, I was certain people would demand we vacate the premises.

"I've long since tired of ripping into every soul I see," Sebastian replied, his lips turned up in a smile, "the hungrier one is, the more satisfying one's dinner."

"How perverse," Suit commented, and he sounded angry from here.

"You can rest easy. I'm on a lead at the moment," Sebastian stated calmly, removing his glove to show his hand was glowing purple. Was he sick with something? Or was he taking this demon bit to new levels?

"Very well," Suit stated, clearly relaxing at the sight of this light, "I'll speak plainly. In the next few days, we plan to review a large number of souls in this area. This is a very special case, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't interfere."

"That sounds very taxing," Sebastian commented, sounding like he was sympathetic to Suit's plight, "why don't I assist you?"

It happened so fast, and had I not been watching them both, I would have missed it. Suit had taken to carrying around a pair of gardening sheers, a gag I assumed. It had seemed odd at the time, considering he told us he was a civil servant. I had asked about the sheers and he had blanked me, refusing to answer any of my questions about them. Now, I watched as he aimed for Sebastian's head, who ducked in time. I covered a scream by putting my hand over my mouth and nose. The sheers extended towards the tops of the tents, Sebastian's hat resting between the teeth. Had Suit just tried to kill Sebastian?

"I can't abide unpaid overtime. If you interfere, I'll cut you down," Suit threatened, before restoring the sheers to their original size. Sebastian's hat floated down through the air like a newspaper on the street.

"I don't associate with reapers for the fun of it in any case," Sebastian stated as he put his hand back and caught the hat without looking at it, "particularly as I have no interest in cheap souls."

"Oi! The show's about to start. That obnoxious knife-thrower wants you," another familiar voice commented, and I leaned back into the crates, holding my mouth so they wouldn't hear me. I glanced over to see who had joined the group when I spotted Finnian. He was dressed in a costume, and no longer seemed shy. Had that been part of an act?

"He doesn't look very choice to me," Suit commented, looking Finnian over, "really, I'll never understand demons."

"Don't call him that here," Finnian snapped, "they took it for a joke earlier, but still. If you can't blend in with humans, you're no good here."

"Indeed. Now, we won't interfere with your work and you won't interfere with ours, agreed?" Sebastian said, making it sound like the fact that Suit had tried to kill him had never happened.

"Excellent, since I despise the very sight of you," Suit replied.

"Perfect. Then it's decided: we'll stay far out of each other's way," Finnian concluded.

"Well then, Smile," Suit looked towards Finnian, "please keep your little dog firmly reined in."

What dog? Finnian hadn't arrived with a dog. He'd arrived with…Sebastian. Was Sebastian his dog? What the hell was going on?

"I don't want to hear that from a man who can't even go properly undercover, Four-Eyes," Finnian replied, clearly not a fan of Suit either.

"I'm not Four-Eyes. I'm Suit," Suit stated plainly, before turning away from the pair to adjust his glasses.

"Let's go, Sebastian," Finnian said simply, as if he had control over the man.

"Certainly," Sebastian replied and walked off with him and past my hiding spot.

I stayed there, not sure what I had heard or what I had seen. I was only truly certain about one thing, and that was the three of them: Sebastian, Finnian and William, were undercover at this circus. I needed to know why they were here, and what they wanted before I could act. But the fact that Sebastian was supposedly a half-mad hungry demon and William was a grim reaper with a pair of gardening sheers, bothered me. I would need to do some research before I confronted them…

* * *

I had gotten dressed and left the property once more, running through Whitechapel until I found a bookshop which was getting ready to close. I hit the door with my hands, seeing the disgruntled shopkeeper inside, a key posed to lock up for the night.

"Sorry miss, we're closing," he said to me.

"Please, I'm looking for a particular book. I'll pay you double!" I said and he froze before sighing.

"You have ten minutes," he said as he opened the door for me to step inside before locking it behind me.

I walked through the bookcases, seeing fiction and factual books. But they were disordered and I couldn't comprehend how the shopkeeper had organised them…well, not in ten minutes.

"Can you help me?" I asked him.

"What are you looking for?" he questioned as he walked towards me.

"A book on demons and grim reapers," I replied and he raised an eyebrow, "for my father's research."

"Your father a priest?"

"Yeah," I replied, "he's trying to write a paper on it and had limited references…can you help him?"

"We have a few religious books in stock, but not many have reference to demons or grim reapers. I'll ask my wife and get back to you."

He walked behind the counter and up a set of stairs, leaving me downstairs alone. I was starting to feel uncomfortable, not wanting to spend any longer than necessary in Whitechapel. I had run into a mugger last time, what if I ran into Jack this time? I could see a few prostitutes outside, under streetlights with some men. I wished I had dressed better, considering I was wearing a pair of costume shorts and a loose blouse over it. My boots were still missing one heel which would make it harder to run should Jack decide to chase me.

"My wife says there's one book," the shopkeeper said, making me jump. He stopped to look at me, no doubt thinking I was insane.

"Sorry…I was looking at the women outside…" I whispered and he nodded as he went down one aisle and scanned the books.

"All the shops close up around now…to avoid the Ripper, you know?" the man said as he put a finger on a book, "never know when he'll take his next victim."

"Hopefully there are no more," I whispered as he took the book off the shelf and walked to the register.

"I'll pray for that, miss," he said as he took down the book's details and price, "that'll be two shillings."

I looked the book over, seeing it was a large encyclopaedia size book with a ribbon bookmark. I couldn't make out the title but figured the man wouldn't lie to me. I found my purse and took out the money before handing it over to him. He put it in his lockbox before handing over the book to me. It was heavier than I thought it would be as the shopkeeper guided me to the door and opened it for me to leave.

"Goodnight, miss," he said as he locked the door behind me.

I watched as the blinds came down and the lanterns were unlit. I felt alone in the dark as I hefted the book up and walked back to the circus, staying in the well-lit areas as I crossed the street.

"Vanessa? Is that you?" a voice called and I turned to see Fred Abberline, a lantern in his hands and lifted to see me.

"Inspector Abberline?" I said as he walked towards me, "what are you doing patrolling?"

"My boss heard someone went through the file room…so I'm out here now," he mumbled, "why are you out?"

I lifted the book for him to see and he nodded.

"I'll walk you back to the circus," he said with a smile.

"Thanks," I said and we walked in companionable silence.

"Are you performing tomorrow?" he asked me as I reached the gate.

"Yeah, you said you bought tickets," I said and he nodded, "I'll keep my eyes out for you then."

"Can't wait to see you perform. You're the talk of the town at the moment," he said, "well, the nicer talk of the town."

He turned to leave but it occurred to me that maybe Abberline knew why the three people were undercover in the circus.

"Abberline?" I called and he turned to look at me, "has anything…strange happened lately?"

"Sure, the Ripper has been around and there's some children that went missing," he said with a sigh, "it was in the newspaper recently."

"No one delivers the paper here," I whispered.

"Children are going missing from all over the country, and they leave no trace of where they went to. I think someone said it was like the Pied Piper was leading them away in the middle of the night."

"Did you have any leads?" I asked and he looked up at me.

"A few, but nothing panned out. You remember Randall, right?" he asked me and I must have looked puzzled, "my boss."

"Oh, him," I said with a sigh.

"He suggested that the Piper was following your circus, isn't that strange?" Abberline said and laughed.

I laughed with him, hoping it didn't sound forced.

"Would, if that were the case, someone decide to…I don't know, go undercover?" I asked and now he did look suspicious.

"Maybe, but not one of Scotland Yard. We've been pulled off the case by message of the Queen. I don't know if she's abandoned hope or not, but something tells me that strange boy is involved."

"Strange boy?" I whispered, and I thought about Smile, "did he happen to have one blue eye, an eyepatch, navy hair…?"

"Yeah, that sounds about right. He was with his butler, a tall man who seemed to favour the colour black," Abberline said with a smile, "tried to pay me off for my forced cooperation. That's why I'm out patrolling now."

I smiled at him and watched as he looked down the street. He was clearly suspicious of my line of questioning, so I needed to bid goodnight to him before he asked for further information.

"Thank you for walking with me," I said as I stood on my toes and kissed him on the cheek, "I feel safer knowing you're out there."

He nodded before giving me a wave and walking away. I stood still for a moment before remembering why I had left to begin with. I stepped through the gates and to the crates once more, seeing Mei was pacing near there. When she saw me, she walked towards me and sniffed the book.

"A strange boy and his butler clad in black…" I whispered as I looked down at the book, "a demon and a reaper…" Mei sniffed my hands as I looked into her eyes, "what has the circus done?"

* * *

I knew when everyone was leaving, the show was finished and I was still sitting behind the crates. The book had been opened and I had read all I could on demons and reapers. I had also determine that demons couldn't truly hold a corporal form without the aid of a human, by way of signing a contract with them. But the book had mentioned that the human had to be both in a bad place as well as have no belief in God for a demon to be summoned in the first place.

Grim Reapers were creatures that walked between death and life. Their job was to determine who got to live and who died. The book didn't explain how this was decided, but that Reapers need not be the stuff of legends. There had been other creatures mentioned but those were the only two I was interested in…and all it served to do was worry me. No wonder Sebastian and William had been at odds with each other, they both wanted souls. But Sebastian's earlier words caught me off.

"What did he mean by cheap souls?" I whispered to Mei, who had curled herself around me to sleep.

There had been no mention of the price of a soul, and for a moment, I wondered what mine was like. But that was a different matter altogether and could be pondered on later. I touched Mei's head and she opened her eyes gently before yawning. I stood slowly and stretched, not sure how long I had been resting against the crates.

"I'll keep this to myself for now…" I whispered, "I won't tell the others. But I need to speak to the three of them…soon."

I led the way down one of the aisles to the tents, thinking I could find out where they were sleeping when a voice caught my attention. Joker was standing in front of four people, one of which I recognised as Doll only without her make-up. She couldn't sleep on her own, and often slept in the second-stringer tents. She had done her rounds with the first-stringers, but never managed to sleep through the night.

"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for!" Joker called as he held up my crudely drawn map. I was in luck, he hadn't given them their rooms yet.

"It's the tent assignments," he concluded and I spotted Dagger nearby, smiling like a fool.

I walked out of the shadows and into their view. Doll spotted me first but didn't comment, knowing it would reveal that she knew me. Dagger's mouth opened as he pointed at me, forcing Joker to also look. Both of them walked towards me, their eyes taking me in.

"Angel?" Dagger asked as he touched my face, "are you alright?"

"Yeah, just needed some air," I mumbled as Joker pulled me forward for a hug.

"Don't run off like that again," he whispered at my ear, and I felt I was seeing the man without the make-up again.

"I promise, Joker," I whispered as I wrapped one arm around his back, "I won't leave again without letting you know."

Once Joker had pulled away, I looked at the four others. Doll gave me a quick smile before returning to her previous expression. Finnian looked tired and worn out, while Sebastian and William looked calm and collected. Joker brought me over to them, Mei trailing behind me. How was I supposed to broach this subject with them?

"Angel, we added these two to the circus!" Joker said with a smile as he pointed to Sebastian and Finnian, "Sebastian is Black now."

"Nice to meet you, Angel," Black said as he bowed to me.

"And Finnian is now Smile," he continued as Finnian raised his head to give me a nod before looking down at the ground again.

"You remember Suit?" Dagger asked.

"Unfortunately," I muttered, "were you giving them their tents now?"

"Yes," Joker said with a smile.

"Mind if I take over?" I asked, "I didn't get a chance to meet them after they joined. And you should tell the others I'm back now."

Joker looked perplexed before he nodded his head and motioned for Dagger to follow him. Dagger looked over his shoulder at me, wondering what was happening. I knew they wouldn't have left me had Doll not been there. I gave her a glance as she sighed. She was dressed like a young boy, and as I looked down at my map, I knew she would be bunking with Finnian.

"The results of our impartial lottery," I said as I looked down at the map, "Smile, you'll be in tent eight. Your roommate will be…Freckles. Black," and I looked to Sebastian, "you'll be in tent nine."

"Seba-" Smile started, telling me he didn't want to be separated from his accomplice, "Black isn't rooming with me?"

Smile actually looked surprised, as if sharing a room with Black had been the plan all along. I thought it was nice to put a spanner in the works, even for one of them.

"No," I said, making sure I smiled at him, "why? I think it's high time you got some independence and lived on your own."

"Th-That's not what I-" Smile started but I put a hand up to stop him.

He looked annoyed, which I knew was something I didn't want, but right now, they were liars and I wanted to know why. If they were separated, it might make it harder for them to work undercover at this circus. Mei nudged my hip before resting against it, and I looked down to see her bandages were pale red. She must have broken a scab recently.

"I'd really rather Black—" Finnian started but I shook my head.

"Black's roommate is Suit," I stated simply.

I watched as the pair came to grasps with that concept before giving each other a glare. I wanted to laugh, to make them understand how much I knew…but that would come with time. I would have them talking soon, all three of them. Mei and I could be persuasive when we wanted to be.

"Don't they look so happy to be together?" I asked Smile, "you wouldn't want to split such a perfect pair, now would you?"

I watched as Smile slouched, his mood clearly hitting the floor as I folded the map up and stuck it in one of my pockets. Mei watched everyone, sensing my mood had changed and glowered at all of them in turn. Her teeth bared for Finnian, before she turned away to follow me.

"Follow me," I said as Doll gathered her bag and followed behind me. Mei sniffed her hand before licking it, recognising her as a friend. Doll smiled at me, and I touched her shoulder.

"You'll be fine here," I said to her, "just work hard and you'll reach the top."

"Thanks Angel," she replied as the others shuffled behind us.

I brought Finnian and Doll to tent eight, opening it for the pair to step inside. I then moved next door to nine and let the other two step in. They would be the only ones in the tents, no one else would be put with them. It would make it easier to gather them later. I tapped my hip for Mei to follow me. I would change her bandages and work out a plan for the threesome.

* * *

I stayed up the whole night, researching everything I could on demons, their humans and grim reapers. Making lists of pros and cons of having one in the circus…with the cons constantly outweighing the pros. Their humans were people who had lost their hope in God, and I could understand that. I had faced my own trials and worked through them, not allowing myself to be bogged down. Mei had helped me in later years, but at the start…it had been a tough time for me. Especially when I had first met Joker.

Now we could laugh and say he had saved me, but I remembered something darker. Cages lined around a table, people gathered as I watched. I shook my head slowly, thinking I must have repressed it to save myself. I looked down at the book I had bought, thinking I couldn't find any more information out unless I asked the sources. I looked around my tent as the sun rose, not sure how long I had been awake for. What day was it anyway?

"It's Wednesday," I whispered to Mei who had put herself on my bed to sleep, "people will expect their money for the week."

I grabbed my list of employees, scratching down Sebastian and Finnian before counting it out. There were thirty people, not including the first tiers…so I added them to the list. At least forty satchels would have to be located so I ran out of my tent, dressed in my clothes from last night, and went to the storage tent. I often bought the satchels early and gave them out each week with the request they be returned to me. But they never were so the circus took on another cost.

I gathered forty and returned to my tent to retrieve the lock box I kept under my mattress. There was a couple of pound in there in notes, pennies scattered like brooches but it was the shillings I focused on. Everyone got one shilling, with the first-tiers getting one shilling and five pence.

I set them out and put the first-stringers money aside to be given out later. I put the second-stringers money in a small box and gathered my list before deciding the best time to pay a person would be during breakfast. I yawned as I made my way to the dining tent and saw people had gathered. I realised I had gotten up earlier than the other first-stringers, now seeing the others making food. I blushed but kept walking, Mei at my side. I should make sure nothing was wasted.

"Hey Angel," Freckles said with a smile, and I gave Doll her proper wage.

"Your pay for the week," I said and she nodded, sticking it in her pocket.

"Thanks," she whispered, but she looked down. What had happened since yesterday to make her mood change?

I gave out the satchels slowly, ticking everyone's name off as I did. A few men looked guilty while others looked excited. I reached the final three as I stuck the box in the supply tent. Suit was minding his own business stirring soup so I gave him a satchel which he stuck in his pocket, no questions asked. I then turned to see Smile and Black, though Smile looked exhausted and oddly dressed.

"Smile! How do you plan to use those potatoes? You "peeled" them to bits!" Black said clearly and I wandered closer to see what he meant.

"Smile, what's wrong with you?!" Freckles said, having walked over to see what was happening.

I walked past them to look into the buckets. I picked up one skin and then one piece of potato, surprised anyone could peel it this finely. I could see the outline of my finger through it! I stood slowly, wondering what could be done with these. I'd have to buy more potatoes, since it seemed someone had given Smile the whole supply.

"I'm sorry!" Smile said quickly.

"I don't even know which part to eat," Freckles mumbled, clearly as confused as I was.

"Well, no help for it. I know I saw some fish, so let's fry these up and make fish and chips," Black said calmly as I dropped my pieces back in the bucket.

"Oh, I love that!" Freckles commented, clearly impressed about that meal option.

"I'm glad to hear it," Black replied, a smile on his face.

"Smile," I said, my voice pitched low, "you will be going into town with me to get new supplies."

"Yes Angel," Smile said, clearly not impressed.

"If Black hadn't suggested chips, you would have destroyed the supply!" I snapped at him, feeling angry for the first time in a long while, "it would have been your fault no one would have eaten for a few days!"

"I said I was sorry…" Smile said, clearly not sure how to answer me.

"The front gate at ten," I said slowly, "meet me there."

I walked away from him, forgetting about the satchels I had been holding. I wasn't sure why I had been annoyed with him, not sure why the potatoes had set me off. I went back to my tent and sat in front of one of my many mirrors and looked at my reflection. This wasn't a girl I recognised, this girl had gotten angry at someone for something so small. I felt tears on my eyelashes before they rolled down my cheeks. I stood up, holding onto the sides of the mirror before I hit it, making it shatter into a hundred pieces. When I looked again, there appeared to be hundreds of versions of me staring back. I rested my hand over the broken glass, only to see I had cut my hand.

I ran my finger along the glass until I had spelt out 'MONSTER' in red and stepped back, my hand by my side. It summed me up, this new persona of mine. What had gotten into me?

* * *

I sat there on my bed staring at that mirror, my eyes taking in the words. I had broken every mirror, writing words on the glass that said various things about me. Each word covered a persona, an image of me. It was what I was nowadays, I was something not human anymore. I looked to my clock and saw it was nearly ten so I changed my clothes and wrapped my hand in some bandages. I then looked to Mei who sat on my bed, her eyes wary.

"I'll be back soon," I whispered to her as I retrieved a few pounds and my hood, "be good while I'm gone."

I got my basket and fastened my cloak around me and lifted my hood. I walked out of my tent and went to the front gate. I spotted Smile there, his shoe scuffing the dirt as he waited for me. How long had he stood there? I took a deep breath, prepared to apologise for what I said. It wasn't fair to take out my anger with him, he didn't deserve it. I'd have to treat him while we were in town.

"Hi," I said as I got closer.

"Hi," he replied, keeping his head down.

"Are you ready to go?" I asked and he nodded, "let's go then."

I opened the gates and he stepped out before I locked them and walked out into London. I wanted to speak to the shopkeeper again and buy a few more books, I needed to buy potatoes and some other treats…I also needed to speak to the prostitutes, who should be heading home now.

I heard gasps around us as people held the paper up, their eyes on what was in front of them. I couldn't see so I bought a paper. It was splattered across the front. "THE RIPPER STRIKES AGAIN!" Smile seemed annoyed when he saw this as I read through the article. There were pictures of mutilated women, and when I saw their names…I recognised them as my contacts.

"Catherine Eddowes and Elizabeth Stride," I whispered as I read through it, "he took two victims last night."

I saw a smaller headline that mentioned a girl was reported missing by her mother last night. Police officers had been brutally murdered as well, with no clear connection to the girl and the officers. I gave the paper to Smile who read through it as I went to Whitechapel, needing to know if the two women were really dead. It was there I spotted Alice, leaning against a wall.

"Alice!" I called and her body stiffened before she looked over at me, and glared.

"Don't come any closer!" she shouted at me, "you brought bad luck!"

"What?" I asked as she stepped closer to me, "I swear I didn't do anything."

"Then why are they dead?!" she snapped, pulling a sharp nail file from her pocket and brandished it, "you told him, didn't you?! You helped him!"

"What…?"

"You helped old Jack!" Alice snapped, catching the attention of a few passing people.

"No, I would never do that!" I said to her as she walked closer, the nail file still held up.

"Don't talk to me ever again! I'll cut you if you do!" and she ran away.

I put my hand out, as if I could stop her. But she disappeared and I knew, the other two would be thinking the same thing. There was no more help for me, and I would have to locate these children on my own. Smile stood at my side, clearly confused as I walked to the bookshop, now open for business.

"Hello miss," the shopkeeper said as I stepped in, "I didn't think I would see you so soon. Is this your brother?"

"Yeah," I replied as I walked to the books and scanned through them, "do you have any other books like the one I bought?"

"My wife found four this morning," he replied as he left his seat and retrieved them from a backroom, "an odd topic for a priest to be reading about. I also found a small pamphlet about exorcisms if that's any good to you, the church had a few to spare last week and I put it aside."

"Sure, how much for it?" I asked as he looked over the books, one slightly larger than the others.

"A shilling will be fine," he replied as I handed him the money, "these books are out of date."

"Thanks," I said as I put them in my basket, "I'll be back."

"Thank you," he called as I left the shop and looked down the street.

"Exorcisms?" Smile questioned but I didn't answer him as I pointed to a vendor.

"He sells potatoes," I said gently and led the way, buying enough potatoes for the month. With that done, I didn't know what I wanted to do anymore.

"Did you hurt your hand?" Smile asked as I started walking towards a café, needing a cup of tea.

"Hmm?" I asked as I looked down and saw the bandages, "cut it on some glass."

I opened the café door for him to go in ahead of me and waved to the woman inside. It was the same woman as before when I had been here with Dagger. She came over once we had both settled in our chairs and I was looking out the window.

"What can I get you both?" the woman asked as I looked over the menu.

"Can I have an Earl Grey with some vanilla cake?" I asked her and she nodded, scratching down my order as I looked to Smile.

He looked hungry, but he had the expression of one who didn't want to order anything.

"I'm not-"

"Another of my order for him," I said quickly and the woman nodded before leaving us.

"Why did you order that?" he asked me after a moment and I sighed.

"Because you look like you need something sweet," I whispered as the woman brought the cakes over, "and they have the best cakes here. Earl Grey…I think you'll like it. It's weak but when complimented with a cake, can do wonders."

He nodded as the tea was poured and I sipped my cup while nibbling the cake. He ate some of his cake before drinking the tea, smiled and continued like that. I pushed my cake in front of him when he had finished his and sipped my tea while I watched him. Once he had finished, I poured him another cup and he sipped it, clearly happy with the food in his stomach now.

"Smile…I'm sorry about earlier," I said as I put my cup down, "I didn't sleep very well last night, but that is no excuse to get angry at you over potatoes."

"It's alright," he replied, sipping more tea, "why do you want a pamphlet on exorcisms?"

"Research," I said slowly, "a friend of mine is in London doing research on exorcisms."

"Oh," Smile replied, obviously not the answer he was hoping for.

"Smile…Finnian," I said and he looked up at me, "what was your old master like?"

"A bastard," Smile replied, "made us work ourselves until we were exhausted. But there were times…when it wasn't too bad."

"Like how?"

"Well, one day he was going through his books and threw out Mother Goose. Sebastian found it and gave it to me, and he found out. Said I could keep it, that it wasn't a good book to begin with," Smile replied.

"You and Sebastian are pretty close," I whispered and Smile nodded, "how long have you been together?"

"Three years this year," Smile replied.

"Really? You two act like you've been together so much longer! That's impressive!"

"What about you? Where did you come from?"

"I'm from London," I replied, "why did you want to know?"

"Joker told us you weren't an original first-stringer," Smile replied.

"Oh…that…" I whispered, "no, I joined the circus later."

"Joker said he found you…?"

"Yeah, he did," I didn't say anything else, not wanting to remember.

"Will we head back now?" Smile asked, probably guessing I wasn't in the mood to be questioned.

"Sure, is there anything you want to see?" I asked him and he shook his head, and I remembered Doll's safety line, "I have to pick up some rope."

"Rope?"

"The safety line from your test seems to have frayed," I replied as I paid for our food and left the café, "don't want Doll getting hurt while she's practising."

I bought the rope and a bottle of brandy, one we could have once the week was finished. It was a tradition among the circus members. A drink after your first successful week…around a fire so we could talk.

* * *

I unlocked the gates and saw Doll was waiting there with Sebastian. Smile walked ahead of me to speak to them as I locked up and walked into the camp grounds.

"Do you need me for anything else, Angel?" Smile asked and I shook my head, "I'll be practising then."

"Good luck," I replied to the three of them as they left, not casting me another glance before disappearing around a corner.

I had nothing else to do, so I went to my tent and saw Mei was still lying on my bed, her head on her paws as she viewed the shattered mirrors around me. She then looked to me as I put my basket down and took out the books to read.

* * *

I decided to take a break an hour later, and knew a walk around the property would help me think. I had learned more on demons, even a small story about a woman who had summoned a demon to see if she could. Each book had the same basic concept about demons (since Reapers had next to nothing written about them) which was made up of three things. Those three things were important to sign a contract with them.

"You need to sacrifice your soul, knowing it will never see Heaven. The human must make a wish, one they are willing to trade their soul for. Finally, they are marked by the demon, to say they belong to them…"

If Sebastian was a demon (and the more I read, the more I believed he was) then he had to have a human. The only person I could think of was Smile, who had arrived here with him, as well as told him they were leaving. It was like he had a power over the man, one that belonged among servants and their master. I doubt a pageboy would face something that required a demon, unless Smile hadn't been a pageboy to begin with. I had seen him before, his face at least. I had recognised it when he had been in his costume, with the leather eye-patch. I just couldn't remember where I had seen him…

"Wait," I whispered as I stopped near the carriages, "I gave a boy tickets for the circus, as compensation…Smile looks like that boy."

No way a master would allow his pageboy to do errands using his carriage, or dress him in such finery. Unless he was one very twisted individual…I couldn't see that. What if Smile had been someone in power, the strange boy Abberline had said had gone through the file room. Sebastian had told us he was a butler, and Abberline had said the boy had been in Scotland Yard with his butler. It seemed too odd a pair to dismiss easily.

"Angel!" someone called and I turned to see a soaked Doll, her eyes panicked.

"What's wrong?" I asked her and she glanced around me.

"Have you seen Smile?" she asked, "I brought him to the showers and well, he didn't want to undress. I thought he was shy…and then I saw this mark on his back…and he ran away! I need to find him!"

"I'll look for him, you prepare for tonight," I said gently to her.

"Thank you, Angel. Tell him I'm sorry!" she said as she ran back the way she came.

I walked beside the carriages, wondering where the boy could be when I heard sniffling. I put my back against the carriages and saw a soaked boy on the floor, his arms wrapped around his legs. He was shivering, which was most likely from the cold shower water we had available. He would catch his death out here if he didn't dry off soon. I was about to suggest that much to him when I spotted Black, who stopped beside him, holding a towel.

"You'll catch a cold, my lord," Black stated simply, throwing a towel over him, "I've brought a change of clothes."

"Enough," Smile said.

"Pardon?"

"I've had enough!" Smile snapped, "I'll go mad if I keep living like this."

"Goodness me. Giving up already? Your fortitude ran dry fast. It's not like you to let such trifles drive you mad, young master."

"Not like me, eh?" Smile asked, now sounding under control. What had changed?

"Quite right," Smile commented as he stood up, the towel now resting on his shoulder, "I'm head of the house of Phantomhive. Naturally it's not _like me_ to live this way. We'll get this over with and leave at once!"

"Very good," Sebastian replied, putting a hand over his heart.

Sebastian moved a few feet into a more secluded section behind the carriages, making it so I only saw his back. By the way his shoulders were moving, I could only assume he was changing the clothes of his young master.

"Now if we can just search the first-stringers' tents, we can go home. I'd planned to quietly work our way up the ladder, but I can't spend that much time under these circumstances. We also have to catch the murderer before he strikes again! I'm at my limit," Smile said plainly.

"Personally, I'd find brute force easier than infiltration, since reaper keeps me from moving freely at night," Sebastian replied, clearly acting as though I wasn't there. Had neither of them noticed me already?

"The reaper's presence doesn't prove them guilty, Behave yourself," Smile said to Sebastian.

"Very good," was the butler's reply.

"The time to strike is during a show, while they're all away from their tents," Smile stated, "first I need a way to slip free of the freckled chap who tails me everywhere…"

That wouldn't be a problem. Doll only took on the Freckles persona before and after a show. She would be too busy getting her make-up ready to stay with him every moment of the day. I saw Smile move away from his cover to sit on a crate, where Sebastian followed him to dry him off.

"If I can't go, there's no point," Smile continued, clearly not having seen me just yet, "I want to get home and eat something sweet. The small cakes Angel bought did nothing to satisfy my sweet tooth."

"I'll prepare you some nice hot tea as well," Sebastian stated.

I put my back against the carriage and tried to process what I had just heard. Smile was the head of the Phantomhive family, and he was here undercover with Sebastian. Sebastian, by the looks of it, was his butler. I looked around me, and found I was alone. What was I supposed to do with this new information?

I closed my eyes, trying to figure out what I wanted to do. I couldn't tell Joker about this, he wouldn't believe me. That meant none of the others could be spoken with. I decided I would go to my tent and mull this over.

* * *

(Ciel's POV)

I pointed to the legs I could now see against a carriage in front of us. Sebastian nodded and jumped onto the roof, as the legs began running. Sebastian stood there and watched as the person disappeared, before jumping down to join me.

"Who was listening?" I asked him, wondering if it was Freckles.

"Angel," Sebastian replied, "and I can't be certain how much she heard…"

"Well then, we'll have to work faster…that…or get rid of Angel before she alerts the others…you can do that, can't you?"

"Yes, my young lord."

* * *

 **So what do you think? Ciel might have to get rid of Angel if she talks...but do you think she will? Angel also knows about reapers and demons, which can't be helpful to Ciel or Sebastian, what do you think they'll do? I hope you like this chapter and I'll post an update soon :) Remember to leave a review to let me know what you think so far and if you have any questions, PM me :)**


	10. Chapter 10: Against The Clock

**Sorry for the long delay between chapters :) I hope you like this chapter :)**

* * *

I pushed away from the carriage, not sure if they knew I had been there or not. I decided not to risk it, and ran to safety. My safety took the form of the second-stringers' tents, where I stopped to catch my breath. My heart was beating quickly, and I raised my hands to smother the sound. I pressed my back into the tent covering, feeling the coarse material on the nape of my neck. I closed my eyes to focus on the things around me: the feel of the tent, the smell of someone cooking stew. It calmed me bit by bit until I felt able to come up with a plan. One that kept me alive, and away from the two recruits known as Black and Smile.

Tears ran down my cheeks, dropping off my chin to continue their trails down the backs of my hands. It was then I noticed how cold it actually was outside. It didn't feel like the start of October, more like the middle of December. I wished I had worn my scarf before stepping out to clear my head. Mei would have enjoyed the walk…and then the run here. I opened my eyes slowly, knowing the best place to come up with a plan was in the privacy of my own tent. So I headed in that direction, slipping past the second-stringers as they compared stew recipes. I would give anything for that normality.

I stopped outside Snake's tent, hearing the snakes hissing within. I should request another entrance for the first-tier tents. That, or I should get more anti-venom, and not tell anyone about it. That should stop the games of chance the second-stringers enjoyed playing. I pulled one side of the door away to see the snakes slithering on the floor, their tongues slipping past their lips. A few turned to look at me, their heads reared up and ready to strike. I could make out Dorian and Emily, but none of the others looked familiar to me. Snake probably used these snakes if his primary few were shedding. I walked in, hearing the sound of my heel on the dirt floor as I weaved my way around the snakes.

One wrapped itself around my foot, so I reached down to clasp its jaw and put it on Snake's bed with six others. I then pulled the door aside to step into the walkway for the first-tiers. It was quiet, too quiet to be comforting. It reminded me of a crypt. I closed the door behind me and glanced at the loneliest tent of them all. It was bare, well, mostly. It was used in case the snakes got into someone's tent. I thought Dagger may have been sleeping there recently. Near his was Beast's, which may explain why he had been too happy to accept the move. I could make out the faint pink light in her tent, her preferred colour.

I walked past it and through an open area before I walked by Joker's tent, filled with the tricks of his trade. I should ask him to show me a trick or two. Beside his tent was mine, which I pulled the door away to view. The mirrors lined the wall closest to Joker's, their glass still scattered along the floor. The lantern made rainbows appear before my eyes, changing the mirror's colour before I stepped further in. Near the mirrors was a small bedside table with a picture of Mei and I last year. The bed was a single, the only thing that could be easily transported to each new site. I looked at my bookcase, books scattered around it with uninteresting titles. Joker and Dagger had bought them for me over the years, insisting I learn more about their tricks than my own.

A pink rabbit sat on the bottom shelf, a gift from Doll when I first joined the circus. It had been a gift from Dagger to her, but she hadn't liked it. As I was the next youngest girl, she had given it to me. Above it were Mei's collars which matched my costumes from the last nine years. I tended to change my costume once a year, which meant Mei needed a new collar. My dresser sat near the doorway and was filled with nothing of interest other than clothes. When I looked at this space I had called mine for less than a decade, I realised how little I had done. The photos were of Mei and I, Joker and I and a group photo, one I didn't remember being taken.

I walked to my bed and sat down on the thin mattress, wishing it was the same as my aunt's had been. That had been a bed you could sink into. This was cheap and filled with straw, the best we could afford for the number of people here. Joker had gotten a few springs put into them over the years, but they only managed to make our sleep less comfortable. They also made a noise similar to a cat shrieking when you moved, especially during the night.

I undid the laces of my boots and my tights, looking at the skin tights underneath. This was one of the nicest things I had been given, but it was a lie. Underneath these tights were not bones and muscles, but prosthetics. I wasn't normal here, none of us were. I think that upset me the most, knowing I couldn't return to my old life. In some office, on a piece of paper, it said I had died when I was six. I couldn't come back from that, not easily. I had asked Joker to look into it for me, and he had informed me the office would require my documentation and someone to vouch for me. As I didn't have friends, and certainly not ones with a certain level of status, I couldn't reclaim what had been mine. My family's money was wrapped up in a trust with Father's company's deeds. I wasn't sure if anyone was running it at the moment.

I stood to pull off the skin tights, exposing the bone china legs before lying on my bed. I tucked one arm under my head while I put the other near my nose, feeling the warm breath on my skin. How had it come to this? How had I ended up in the circus? I remembered my accident which had resulted in my parents dying, but the next memory I had was Joker reading me a story. The rest seemed like a hazy blur in my mind, one I felt I should know more about. What had happened to me during that time?

I closed my eyes, pulling my shawl off the floor to throw over my shoulders before cuddling in. I thought about my accident, the flames that had consumed our home. The cold of the street, picking at any scraps I could find so I could eat that night. The woman who had fed me, wrapped her shawl around me to keep me warm. Now that I thought about it, the shawl I was holding now had been hers. It smelt of smoke and cats, no doubt from this circus. I remembered seeing Joker, and he promised me a family since I didn't have anyone left. I was cold and tired, wrapped in bandages with mild burns across my skin.

 _Someone…please help me! Please! I'm stuck in here!_

I couldn't comprehend where those words had come from in my memories, as I attempted to remember what happened when Joker helped me to my feet. I could see Joker, wrapped in glitter and musical notes, and then I was in a cage. I was pulling on the bars, hoping someone could hear me. I was frightened, seeking anyone who could help me. I looked to my right and left, but there were only children. They looked wrong to me, their eyes dimmed and a faint scar was done into their skulls. Their clothes smelled bad, but they didn't seem to care. Those children scared me, made me panic more.

I started coughing, and my chest felt tight. No matter how much I rubbed it, the pain only got worse. My eyes were covered in black spots, obscuring my view of the room around me. I tried to catch and hold a breath of air, but it was difficult. Mother would have known what to do with me in this situation. I began crying, knowing no one was coming to my rescue as I fell to my right and into the lap of a little boy. I lost my grip on consciousness and fell into a deep sleep, both in reality and in that memory…

* * *

 _"_ _Someone! Please help me! Please!" I shouted at the top of my voice, "I'm stuck here!"_

 _"_ _You're very vocal, aren't you?" a voice asked and I sought out the speaker._

 _The speaker was a young boy, by the looks of it ten or eleven, who was sitting in the cage to my left. His hands rested on the floor but his eyes were on me. He had long black hair that looked matted and unruly, his eyes an odd brown colour that reminded me of cocoa. He was dirty, his clothes looked stiff on his body from a lack of washing. He had a nice voice, one that made me feel safe here after so long._

 _"_ _Did the orange haired man trick you too?" I asked, moving around the children in my cage with care so I could sit near the wall of his cage. There was still a foot between us, but since I hadn't heard anyone in the last few days, I had thought I was alone._

 _"_ _I came here because I wanted to," he answered, though he sounded sarcastic, "the name's Daniel, what about you?"_

 _"_ _Vanessa," I replied and he put a hand out to me._

 _I strained, pushing my shoulder against the cage bars to meet that hand. Daniel started laughing and I froze, wondering what he was laughing at. I must have looked puzzled so he took his hand back and waited for me to do the same._

 _"_ _My old man called this an air shake," he said, putting his hand out again, "just shake your hand in the air as if you're shaking the other person's."_

 _I did as he instructed until it looked like we were shaking hands. My shoulder felt sore so I pulled my hand back to rest in my lap, watching him put his hand on the floor to trace a shape. I wanted to know what it was._

 _"_ _What are you doing?"_

 _"_ _Drawing," Daniel answered, "I was drawing before I came here."_

 _"_ _Oh," I whispered, not sure what else I could say to him._

 _"_ _How did you end up here?" he asked, looking at me like Brother had done a while ago._

 _"_ _The orange haired man told me there was a family," I whispered, "waiting for me here."_

 _"_ _Were you on the streets?"_

 _"_ _Yeah, in Whitechappie," I replied, allowing myself to smile._

 _"_ _I'm from the docks," he mumbled, "you don't look like the type to live on the streets."_

 _"_ _Huh?"_

 _"_ _You look like some poufy dog, the ones the hags bring around the docks," he explained._

 _"_ _Poufy dogs? Hags?" I mumbled, not having heard those words before._

 _"_ _How old are you?" he asked, clearly not sure why I didn't understand him._

 _"_ _Six," I replied, "how old are you?"_

 _"_ _Twelve," he answered, "right, so do you know the dogs that are really fluffy?" I nodded, "those are the poufy dogs. The hags are the women who own the fluffy dogs."_

 _"_ _My grandmother owned a dog like that!" I called out, finally understanding, "it was a poodle named Prince."_

 _"_ _Of course it was," Daniel muttered, "you remind me of one those dogs. You look too poufy to be on the streets of Whitechapel."_

 _"_ _I had to live on the streets," I whispered, "Mama and Daddy died in the fire…"_

 _"_ _So you're an orphan…like everyone else here," he said with a sigh, "my dad's away at work and my mother is a drunkard. Drawing is what I do to pass the time."_

 _"_ _I bet you can draw really pretty pictures!" I said, mimicking his hands on the floor, "can you show me how to draw?"_

 _"_ _You're probably a perfect artist," he muttered, "I'm going to give you a nickname. Vanessa sounds too…not you. You're a poufy dog…I'm gonna call you Duchess."_

 _So from then on, I was Duchess. Daniel asked me to come up with a name for him, as that was what friends did, so I called him Duke. He had told me to call him something else._

 _"_ _We're not equal in this world. You come from a world where money and food is easily available. I come from a place where I don't know when I'll eat next."_

 _I then called him Jester, considering he made me laugh. He reminded me of a jester in one of my old story books. Once he had been called that, he made a point of making me laugh. He considered it was his duty to his Duchess._

 _"_ _Duchess, you should go to sleep now," Daniel said one evening when the candles had been extinguished._

 _"_ _I don't want to go to sleep, Jester. I'm scared," I answered._

 _"_ _What is there to be scared about?"_

 _"_ _The living dolls," I replied as one coughed behind me._

 _We had come to call the children around us the living dolls. They didn't do much other than stare into space and breathe. I had tried interacting with them but had gotten nowhere. Daniel had said he had done the same the first time he was here, but he had been surrounded by living children._

 _"_ _It was before that man showed up anyway," he stated one day after that night, "he comes in and takes one of us. When we come back…there's nothing left. It's like they turned off everything that made you a person. The living dolls are people, but something is wrong with them."_

 _"_ _Can't they get better?" I asked, touching the face of a little girl who had a basket around her wrist._

 _"_ _No, Duchess, they can't," he sighed, "one day I'll become one of them."_

 _"_ _No!" I yelled, catching him off guard, "I won't let them!"_

 _"_ _You won't have a choice," he whispered, tracing a shape into the stone floor, "a lobotomy will do that to you."_

 _I had come to recognise that him drawing was a nervous twitch. I also noticed he was doing it more, as if something was scaring him. I didn't understand what he meant by lobotomy, and it annoyed me. He wouldn't tell me what it was, saying he was afraid of letting me know._

 _"_ _You're too young to know about the bad things of this world, Vanessa," he whispered to me._

 _I knew he was serious when he used my real name. I dropped the topic and focused on the bandages around my wrist. They were soiled, more than a few days old. How long had I been in this hell? I got to my knees and sought out a girl roughly my size. Turned out the only girl who looked remotely my age, was the girl with the basket. I took her clothes, needing something to keep me warm during the nights. Hers smelled of mould and blood, but considering I had been wearing a shawl since being here, another layer would help._

 _I took her vest and threw it over my head before her dress. The buttons were awkward but I managed. Her shoes were too small for me so I sought out a girl who looked older. I buckled her shoes on my feet and wrapped my shawl around me once the bandages were gone. It would do me no good to stay wrapped in those. My burns had healed considerably since the fire, but I wished I could have a bath to wash the grime that clung to me. I leaned against the bars and closed my eyes, knowing Daniel wouldn't talk to me again for a while until his "drawing" was complete._

 _So I fell asleep and dreamed of mint and flowers. I could hear the bees buzzing around me, one landed on my hand and crawled up my arm to rest on my elbow. I marvelled at the dark colouring, having become used to the yellow and black bodied bees over the years. My aunt had gotten herself a hive to produce honey, one she paid her butler to tend. Once or twice, I had seen her out with him, watching those bees working. They were like the one now resting on my elbow. I didn't move, having been told by my aunt not to when a bee was on me._

 _"_ _It will only sting you if you do," she had said, pointing to it, "it just wants to know you, honey."_

 _This bee buzzed slightly as I held perfectly still, wanting nothing more than it to like me. But it stung me, hurt me so I screamed. I ran my other hand to knock it away, not sure what I had done wrong. I glanced at my elbow and saw it was red around a small black dot._

 _"_ _Duchess!" a voice called, "Vanessa! Wake up!"_

 _I looked around the flowers, no more bees were flying. Where had the bees gone? Something touched my back and I saw Daniel._

 _"_ _Vanessa!" he called, hurting my ears, "Vanessa!"_

 _"_ _What?" I asked, covering my ears._

 _"_ _You have got to escape this!" he yelled at me, "free yourself and tell people about this!"_

 _"_ _But we're safe," I mumbled, seeing the garden around me._

 _"_ _What did you bastards give her?!" Daniel shouted, looking over my shoulder at someone._

 _"_ _Nothing you need concern yourself with," a voice answered._

 _The garden shifted until I saw my aunt's dining table. The gardener brought it out only in the summer so we could eat among the bees. The table had three people sitting near it, watching Daniel as he held me tight. He was hurting my arms, and I couldn't understand why. He was only going to enjoy a cup of tea. Yet when I tried, I couldn't join him. There were vines wrapped around me in a box, trapping me in the garden._

 _"_ _Bring him over here so we can start," a man with a bushy brown moustache ordered._

 _The orange haired man, one I hadn't noticed, stood to walk over to us before picking Daniel by his arms. Daniel pulled against him, breaking his grasp before dropping in front of me. Daniel ripped something from his wrist and pushed it into my hands, closing my fingers around it. I didn't look at it, not sure what I could do other than watch Jester as he pulled on my cage._

 _"_ _Let her go!" Daniel shouted, "she's only a kid!"_

 _"_ _She'll be free once she helps us," a man with curly black hair answered._

 _"_ _You're going to make her a living doll!" Daniel snapped, pulling on my cage until I heard a distinct pop._

 _A section of the vines slipped away until there was only a gap. Daniel looked at me through the door, his hand out to me. I took it as he guided me into the garden, his eyes desperate._

 _"_ _Run, Vanessa!" he snapped, "run as fast as you can!"_

 _I considered it a game of hide and seek, running away from the men and Daniel. There was a hill that led to some more vines, but there was a gap. I slipped through them, finding it colder here. I had to find a good place to hide, one Daniel would never find me in. I ran across the hill, passing small sections of leaves that were pressed into steep hills. They reminded me of doors, and I imagined a caterpillar living in one. Daniel would find me if I stayed here, so I kept running. I then found myself in front of another vine cage, only this one had buttons on the side. I pushed the buttons down hard and watched as the vines closed me in. Something pulled up and I watched as the hill side faded away._

 _The garden morphed into something from a nightmare, a dark hill that had people looking for me. Those people were faceless and scared me. Once I stepped out of the vines, it looked like they were falling away. I screamed, backing away slowly before turning to run down this new hill. It stopped a few metres away to show a small slope and then sheer drops everywhere else. I would run down here and make it to the vines ahead of me. Daniel would never find me there. I started running down the hill, surprised when I hurt my foot. But what shocked me the most was that I kept falling, hitting my head and my back on the ground. When I reached the bottom, everything hurt. Why did it hurt to run down the hill?_

 _I couldn't stand up, my body protested too much so I pulled myself across the grass towards the vines. I just had to get there. I stopped halfway, the pain too much for me to bear. I started crying, hoping Daniel found me soon. I wanted him to tell me everything was alright. The person who found me wasn't Daniel, but the orange-haired man. He walked down the hill and then over to me, lifting me up so I rested against his chest. He held me tight, as the garden disappeared. What I saw was an old mansion, the hill I had fallen down was now stairs that twisted. The vines had been a door, the front door of the house._

 _I coughed, finding it hard to breathe as black spots covered my eyes. The orange haired man called out to me, but I couldn't hear anything above the ringing in my ears. I looked down at myself, seeing blood dripping from somewhere I couldn't see. I closed my eyes, fighting the urge to sleep but I failed. The orange haired man picked me up but I was asleep before he brought me anywhere else…_

* * *

I screamed, sitting up in bed and clutched the sides of my head. I was crying as the phantom pain ran over my body. My brain was adjusting to this new reality, the one where I hadn't fallen down stairs. My heart was racing as I tried to catch my breath.

"Meow?" something called and I felt the bed depress before Mei's face appeared near mine.

"Mei…Mei…" I sobbed, throwing my arms around her neck and buried my face into her fur.

Her tail moved over my hands, her mood no longer happy. She could probably sense something was wrong, and that meant she was on high alert. My crying into her body wasn't helping. I tried to remind myself I wasn't in that mansion, I was in my tent. I looked at my dresser at the pictures, wondering what else I could do. My eyes stopped on the one of Joker and I. I couldn't remember the exact details of the photograph, or why it had been taken. Joker had said I had injured my head before he found me; that Father's doctor had taken care of me. I moved my arms away from Mei and picked the picture up. I turned the frame over to pull the picture out, wondering if there could be writing on the back.

I was lucky. Joker's handwriting informed me of the date of the photo and where it had been taken.

"January 26th 1879," I whispered, tracing the words, "Kelvin Estate."

I looked over the photo, seeing it had been bent to exclude one other person. I straightened it out until I saw him. He had long black hair that had been brushed for the picture, his body was slumped in a wheelchair and he looked dazed. I felt new tears fall down my cheeks as I saw the face of Daniel. There was a small scar down his forehead, the stitches looked new in the photo. Daniel…my darling Jester.

"Angel?" a voice asked and I looked to the doorway. Joker stood there, looking worried.

"I heard 'ee scream," he continued when I said nothing, "what happened?"

"You bastard," I replied, feeling angry at him for the dream, "you killed him!"

"What?" he asked as I threw the picture into his hands.

"You killed Daniel!" I snapped, putting distance between us, "he was my friend and you made him…a living doll!"

Joker didn't answer, looking down at the picture. He sighed before folding Daniel away so it was just the two of us once more. He set it down near my dresser and watched me. Mei looked confused, not sure what the threat was.

"How did 'ee remember him?" Joker asked.

"What does it matter?!" I snapped, standing near my bookcase, "he was twelve years old!"

"He's twenty one," Joker said in reply.

"What?" I asked, not sure what else I could say.

"He's twenty one," Joker repeated, "he's living a rather full life currently. Not a fear in the world."

"What are you talking about?" I whispered.

"Something 'ee shouldn't have remembered," Joker answered, taking a step closer to me, "why did 'ee have to remember?"

Joker didn't look friendly, and I felt scared. I jumped onto my bed and tumbled off to the other side. Mei took a protective stance near me, her hackles up as she glared at Joker. I got to my feet and knew I had to escape. The door wasn't an option, he would catch me before Mei could catch him. She'd probably think he was leaving, giving me a wider space to avoid him. I glanced to my mirrors and knew one peg wasn't set down properly.

"Don't try to run," Joker said calmly, too calm to be reassuring, "'ee need your medicine."

"Joker, why?" I asked, wondering what had happened. What was the problem with me remembering Daniel?

"'ee is chatty. We don't want anyone else knowing about the children," he said, pulling a syringe from his pocket, "'ee was supposed to stay ignorant. But then I heard a conversation, one 'ee had with a policeman not long ago."

"About what?" I asked, fighting tears.

"About missing children. 'ee was so interested in them, and I have to wonder why. Unless someone asked you about 'em, I couldn't understand what had slipped. None of the others have spoken to 'ee about children…"

* * *

 _"_ _Abberline?" I called and he turned to look at me, "has anything…strange happened lately?"_

 _"_ _Sure, the Ripper has been around and there's some children that went missing," he said with a sigh, "it was in the newspaper recently."_

 _"_ _No one delivers the paper here," I whispered._

 _"_ _Children are going missing from all over the country, and they leave no trace of where they went to. I think someone said it was like the Pied Piper was leading them away in the middle of the night."_

 _"_ _Did you have any leads?" I asked and he looked up at me._

 _"_ _A few, but nothing panned out. You remember Randall, right?" he asked me and I must have looked puzzled, "my boss."_

 _"_ _Oh, him," I said with a sigh._

 _"_ _He suggested that the Piper was following your circus, isn't that strange?" Abberline said and laughed._

* * *

I began to remember the conversation he was talking about. I had spoken to Abberline about people going undercover, and if Scotland Yard had to infiltrate our circus. Joker must have heard some of it, and gotten the wrong idea.

"You all came home glum," I whispered, "I wondered what had happened."

"It's not something we like to do," Joker answered.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I begged, "were you planning on keeping me in the dark forever?"

"It doesn't matter anymore," he replied, uncapping the syringe, "in a few days, you won't remember this conversation of ours."

"Joker…what do you mean?"

He didn't answer and watched me as I made my way to the mirrors. Mei kept her gaze on Joker as I pulled up the back of the tent and crawled underneath. I pulled myself up and started running to the barrier, wondering if I could escape without being noticed. I looked behind me, wishing I could take Mei with me. I stopped behind a crate and barrel, to catch my breath. I didn't understand what he had meant by "we" and it worried me. Who else was involved in this?

I knew now that I shouldn't have stopped. When I stood to move on, there were snakes slithering near me, a few ready to strike. Snake must have let them out. A few moved closer as I tried to climb the crate, managing to leave a dent where my foot slipped into it. I cried out for help but no one came to rescue me. One snake threw itself up and latched onto my thigh, just above the prosthetic. Its fangs were bigger than a needle's and it stung almost immediately. It followed me to the floor, where I saw a few sets of feet.

The snake didn't remove itself from my thigh, holding onto me for dear life. It took a moment before my body felt like it was burning, especially near the bite. I coughed, putting my hand over my heart. It felt like it was racing, which I put down to fear. I turned my head to the side, seeing the majority of the snakes had left, revealing a few pairs of feet. One set of feet, a pair of shoes curled at the toes, moved towards me. They bent down on one knee, leaning over to dislodge the snake from my thigh. He held onto its jaw, putting it near my nose so I could see it in better detail.

It was a cerulean blue with a dab of white on its mouth. Its eyes were a deep brown and its tongue snaked between its lips, doing its best to do so considering the hold the man had on it.

"This be Rose," Joker stated, coming into my view, "she be the latest addition to the circus."

"W-Why?" I croaked, feeling sore along my hip now.

"'ee needs to rest," he replied, handing Rose to someone else before picking me up.

I closed my eyes, feeling faint. My body continued to burn, it no longer mattered that I was outside. I could have been wrapped in a blanket for all the good it did me. I vaguely remembered something nipping into my wrist before something was put on my head.

"She'll be asleep until tomorrow at least," a familiar voice stated before it all faded away from me.

* * *

(Ciel's POV)

The performers appeared on edge, each of them snapped at the second-stringers for assistance, not giving us much of a chance to react. One such performer was Dagger, who looked ready to throw knives at anyone who crossed him.

"Oi, there aren't enough knives! Where are the spares?!" he snapped and I sought out the box.

It was sitting under Doll's dressing table, so I pulled it free and up into my arms before bringing them to Dagger.

"Here!" I answered quickly, receiving a glare from him.

He then pulled out a handful and looked over their blades. He seemed to be looking for a particular one, maybe the sharper the better. He took about fifteen handfuls, selecting one from each that seemed to surpass the others in quality. He glanced at me like I was muck on his shoe before waving me away, holding the blade of one knife between his fingers. I didn't question it and backed away slowly. I returned the box to its previous location and saw Doll was applying her make-up. One of her hands seemed to twitch, making her make-up look drawn on by a child. Frustrated, she wiped it off and started again.

I viewed all of the performers, wondering what had gotten them like this. I spotted a small stool and sat on it, wondering if something had happened today to unnerve them all. I was tired from practising as well as doing errands for them that morning.

 _The question is whether I'll collapse from exhaustion before I check the tents…_

"It's almost show-time, so look lively!" Joker called as he stepped into the tent, but he looked less cheerful than before.

I watched as Doll reapplied her make-up, Dagger put his knives into a satchel, Beast adjusted the straps of her exposed top. Wendy was sitting on a table with Sebastian adjusting a headpiece for her. She stared at his waistcoat before he stepped away. She touched her head, checking the hat there before deciding there was nothing more to be done. Suit was in the corner doing the ironing, settling the clothes on hangers to be put away for later. Sebastian joined him, taking the hangers and placing them on their rails. There was something missing, and then I realised it wasn't something, it was someone. Angel hadn't shown up to get ready, her dressing table held nothing to indicate she had been there before I had arrived. I was about to ask when a shadow moved in front of me.

"So what should I do next—hmm?" I asked, seeing it was a second-stringer on their way out. There were only three of us left inside the tent, something I hadn't seen happen. The first-stringers were gone, no doubt preparing to perform.

"Sebastian!" I said under my breath, leaving the stool to walk towards him as he set Angel's costume on the rail.

I saw a tiny ribbon on the front and pulled it, revealing a costume I had seen my first night here. Angel had been in a cage…I hadn't seen it on her once after that night, and wondered how her performances worked. Did she only do them once in each town they visited? I looked to Sebastian, who tied the ribbon back before stepping away. There were more important things to do than contemplate Angel's performance schedule. We had to search the tents for information in regard to the missing children.

"Freckles isn't watching," I whispered to him, "let's check the tents now. We'll get it done in ten minutes."

"Yes, my lord," Sebastian responded.

I beckoned him to follow me to the door, deciding to ignore Suit. Once I reached the door, I pulled the covering back enough so I could see if anyone was outside. No one lingered near the tent, they had probably gone to do jobs for the performers or were in the performance tent. I nodded and motioned for Sebastian to follow me, leading the way to the left. This would bring us around the back of the campsite. If we split up, we could check all the tents quickly and discuss what we had found. I might be in my own bed tonight, if I was lucky.

"Black!" a voice called and we froze where we stood, giving the person a chance to reach us.

I looked over my shoulder and saw it was Joker. He looked grim, as did Peter who ran at his side. His partner, Wendy, was resting on Joker's back. She looked in pain, her eyes on us. The earlier bitterness seemed to be missing from all three of them. But that didn't matter. Weren't they supposed to be in the tent…performing? Weren't they the first act of the night? Who was standing in for them?

"We've got trouble! Old Wendy's twisted 'er ankle!" Joker announced once he had reached our side, "the show's already on, so I need 'ee to take her place. We're already one act short!"

He must be talking about Angel. Why wasn't she performing tonight anyway? Had she requested it or something?

"But surely, I'm not a fit substitute…" Sebastian replied, attempting to dissuade Joker.

"Fit and ready, me 'ansome. We'll count on 'ee," Joker announced before running on, most likely to Doc's, "'ee haven't much time, so be quick!"

They disappeared around an animal cage and the tents, leaving the two of us at a loss. I should have foreseen something like this happening. Would we get another chance to check the tents? Would Freckles be there?

"Nothing for it, I'm afraid. We'll have to find another chance, young master," Sebastian said in a low voice, though there was no one to overhear us, "young master?"

I didn't answer him, knowing there would be no other chance. Tonight was all we had, and I was sick of sleeping in a tent. Aside from that, what if Freckles deemed it necessary to follow me everywhere, starting from tomorrow? I wouldn't get a free moment to search the tents, and all Freckles would have to do…would be to speak to Angel. I had seen how close they were when we had been assigned our tents. I walked back to the tent we had only left to see a notice. It had the times and how long each act had to perform:

* * *

18:00 Pierrot Joker

18:10 Fire Breathing Jumbo

18:20 Aerial Ballet Doll

18:40 Snake Dance Snake

18:50 Circus Of Tiger Beast

19:10 Juggler Dagger

19:30 Trapeze

19:50 Illusions Angel

20:10 Finale (19:50)

20:20 Encore (20:00)

* * *

"We don't know when the next chance will come," I stated, "this may be the only time he isn't with me. You may be in the show, but I have some time. The only trouble is the snakes."

It was a fact that I couldn't walk through the private tents without the snakes being removed first. If I was bitten, Joker had informed us there was no anti-venom on site. Sebastian would not, or shouldn't, know where to bring me if that were the case. I sighed, wondering why it couldn't have been dogs that guarded the campsite. Wouldn't it have been easier to take care of them? How was I supposed to get rid of the snakes, seeing as a piece of raw meat wasn't going to cut it? An idea came to mind, so I looked to the demon. He would have very little trouble with snakes, even if they did bite him.

"Right, come with me, Sebastian!" I ordered and turned to my right to run towards the first-tiers' entrance.

"At once," he replied and followed me.

It took me a few minutes before I could see the tops of the tents. They were dressed in a different covering, a purple with stars style to emphasise how special they were. I slowed down as I spotted Snake's tent, easily identified considering all the hissing I heard from inside. Sebastian must have guessed my idea and walked ahead of me and into the tent, only for the hissing to get louder. I waited, keeping watch for Freckles or one of the others in case they asked what I was doing.

But no one appeared, and I considered the risks of sneaking in tonight. Angel was somewhere in there, in her tent. As I didn't know which one was hers, I could only guess. If I opened the door for hers, what would she do? Would she question me? Inform Joker? It was all rather confusing, especially the recent events. Angel wasn't performing and the others were bitter. Something had happened recently to change them, and only for the worst.

I wasn't given much time to run through theories before the door opened, revealing Sebastian. A snake clung to his jacket at the elbow while another was held tight in his right hand. He smiled at me, beckoning me inside. I looked around once more before complying, closing the door behind me. The tent was warm, unbearably so. I wiped some sweat off my brow to focus on Sebastian who tied one snake in a knot and threw it into a cage. As he detached the one at his elbow, I realised that every snake was knotted in that cage. They tried to escape their new confinement, but to no avail.

"This is all of them," Sebastian commented as he tied the last snake in a knot before throwing it into the cage.

"According to the program, your act ends at 7:50 and the encore is at 8:00. You have a ten minute window."

"To do what?" the demon questioned.

"As soon as your act ends, release all these snakes and go back for the encore. I'll look through their tents," I explained, knowing Snake wouldn't believe his snakes had decided to knot themselves for their own amusement.

"Will you be alright by yourself?"

"Fine. Now go back to the show tent—they'll be suspicious if you're late."

"Very good, my lord," he replied before he left the tent.

I watched him leave before taking the other exit, which opened out into a small walkway. Tents lined each side in purple and starry coverings. One tent sat at the top, lit a pale yellow. The door appeared closed tight, but I couldn't be certain. There was a tent beside me, which I decided to investigate straight away. It was bare of any personal affects that it looked like no one lived here.

"These are certainly bare quarters," I muttered as I stepped closer to the bed.

The tent was made up of the bed, which was freshly made and the pillow puffed up. A mirror rested against the far wall with a suitcase on the floor acting as a bedside table. Atop the suitcase was a frame, a photo of a small group of people. They looked like teenagers, with the edges creased from exposure. The group varied in height and age with an older man standing behind them in the middle with his arms over a few of their shoulders. He appeared young with a thick moustache, and glasses hung off his nose. He was smiling, acting like this was an important milestone in his life. I looked over the faces of everyone, stopping to see a girl in the front. Her eyes were blank and a bandage adorned her head. She didn't seem to be aware of everything around her, or that a photo was being taken. A skeletal hand rested over one of her shoulders, holding her in place. Considering the others in the photo, it was almost as if she didn't belong with them.

"A photograph of teenagers and a child…are these the first-stringers?" I asked myself before looking back at the man, "who is this?"

I set the frame down on the floor to root through the suitcase. It had a varied selection of clothes, none that pointed to a specific performer. I fixed the clothes and set the frame back on top when I was finished. There was nothing more to this tent than those few pieces of clothing and a photo. I only hoped none of the others deemed it necessary to sleep like this.

I walked back outside, checking the area to make sure no one had returned early before venturing outside. The tent beside the one I was in was painted a dusty pink on the inside, with the aid of a light. I pulled the door away to see it was filled with things. Clothes graced the floor as if someone had thrown them like that. A few shelves were decorated with photos and whips. I could only assume I was in Beast's tent, or one very strange individual slept here. The tent smelled of incense, reminding me of Lau's opium den on Valentine's Day last year. I walked further in, seeing a bed that was unmade. Beast had been in a rush to leave here, she may have been late for her show. All I knew was, it could be a good place for information.

I spotted a small chest, bigger than a suitcase, and decided that could be where I would start my search. I pried open the lid and put it near the floor. Inside was an array of exposing tops that showed too much cleavage. Perhaps that was Beast's signature, like Angel's was Mei. I picked out a few tops to see if there were pockets but nothing came out of it. I was about to give up when I saw the glint of a something bronze at the bottom. I pulled it up and free of a brassiere to see. It was another photo, one with just two people in it. One was Beast, her black hair too curly to be manageable on a daily basis. The other person was the man from the first photo. Was he fond of photographs or something?

"Here, too…it's the same man with her," I said, looking over the picture for more clues, "that sign behind them—"workhouse". An orphanage?"

As I stared at those words, I remembered Joker's words from our tour, in relation to where they had come from.

 _"_ _We all come from the same place…Snake and Angel are the exception, though…"_

"So the original first-stringers must all be from the same workhouse," I concluded, curious now as to where Snake and Angel had come from, "but where is this workhouse? I need a clearer shot of it…"

I set the frame inside the box for safety while I searched the bottom of the chest for more. I heard something break outside, and I wondered what it was. Had someone come back early? I couldn't escape, I was trapped in this tent with no hope of being rescued. I heard the chest shift and was about to turn to see what had happened when arms ensnared me, pulling me into the chest. I wasn't sure I would be able to fight inside, and tried to make myself as small as possible. What the hell was going on? Footsteps echoed outside the chest before something hit the floor. I couldn't say or see anything, considering I was in the dark. The chest opened an inch and something pushed a top out to sit on the lip. Why would someone be looking for a top? Even with the weak light, I couldn't determine what held me in the chest, let alone covered my mouth.

"This is so irritating," Beast muttered, "I _liked_ this one! Well, this'll do."

I watched as the top was pulled free and Beast must have put it on before leaving the tent. Whatever was holding me let go of my mouth and pushed the lid open to view around the tent. Once I could see, I realised it was Sebastian.

"I was right to return ahead of schedule," he commented, sitting up in the chest while I was tossed in unceremoniously…and my back was starting to hurt.

"Oi, get off me!" I snapped.

"Certainly," Sebastian replied, getting out of the box to help me.

Once I was out, I reached back into the box for the photo. I held it out to Sebastian, wondering if he could see something I couldn't. Maybe there was a secret somewhere in that photo.

"There's something about this photo…" I whispered, not wishing to be overheard.

"I see. You think it is important, then?" he asked.

"Yes. Did you notice anything?"

He held the frame between his hands and looked over it. He looked at the man before following his arm which rested along Beast's back, his hand visible on her shoulder. Beast looked content, but not particularly happy to be in a photo with the man.

"Ah yes, I've seen the imprint from this signet ring recently," Sebastian stated, pointing to the man's hand and with it a small ring.

"Signet ring? Imprint? You can make out details that small?" I asked him immediately.

"Yes. If memory serves…this matches the seal at the joint of Beast's prosthetic leg."

"The seal, the workhouse…" I whispered, now considering them vital clues to the case, "we need to know more about this man."

"It's almost time," Sebastian stated as I put everything back into the chest and stood, seeing him check his watch, "let's stop here for today. I must free the snakes before the encore."

"I still have Joker's and Angel's tents to check," I replied.

"But, my lord…" Sebastian started.

"I should manage it if I work through the encore," I stated, "I'll end it all today. You go back so they won't suspect us. When it's over, get back here before they do and free the snakes. Got that?"

I left the tent without his reply, knowing we didn't have much time left. I had wasted enough of that in Beast's tent, and that of the bare tent. I wanted to go home tonight, but it was becoming less and less likely. I would be a pageboy for another day, not something I was looking forward to. I wanted to return to my manor and eat good food and rest in a comfortable bed.

I ran down half of the walkway without a clear plan in mind. Where would Joker sleep? One tent caught my eye, lit a very dull green from within. I stepped closer, seeing juggling balls, two sequined jackets hung up and a Mother Goose book resting on a dressing table. I didn't need to see the clothes to know this was Joker's tent. I spotted a small bedside table with two frames on it; one the same as Beast's and another. The other had Joker and the little girl alone, and he was the only one smiling for the camera. She was looking at it but didn't seem to understand what was happening. She had the bandage wrapped around her head like in the group photo. Was it possible that this was Angel? Joker had mentioned he had found her delirious and starved. I set the frame down to look over the other one.

"His dress makes him either wealthy or a nobleman," I whispered to myself, "given that he's in photographs with workhouse children, he could be a philanthropist…." I put the frame down to scan the room before I left. It was how I spotted something sticking out from under Joker's pillow.

"A letter?" I whispered before picking it up, turning it over in my hand, seeing a signature, "it's from "Tom the piper's son"…the Mother Goose character?"

I opened the envelope, following the gap that had already been made with a knife to pull out the contents. It had no picture, but it didn't need to.

"Why?! This…is my name!" I snapped, seeing it at the top, along with my rank, my address, a biographical sketch…my parents' names… "what is my name doing here? Are they on to us?!"

It was once I had calmed down that I heard the chatter of someone entering the first-tiers' home. I could only guess the show was over and they were going to bed. I was trapped inside Joker's tent, with a letter that contained my information. Where could I run to without being spotted?

I heard something whimper, seeking it out and spotted the breeze pull up a small corner of the tent. I stuffed the letter back into the envelope and under the pillow before running there. It put me outside between two tents, one dimly lit with the whimpering sounds coming from inside. I didn't want to stay outside in case someone spotted me. I had no excuse to explain why I was here, so I pulled up the other tent's wall and slipped under.

I saw the room was lit by a candle, lying on a bedside table. I stood to my full height and took a step forward, hearing something splinter, I lifted my foot, seeing broken shards of glass. Where had those come from? I looked around the tent, soon spotting their source. Ten mirrors were lined up near one wall, each broken with words written across them in red. They range from insulting to downright crude. But who had written them? Opposite the mirrors was a dresser with frames on it, so I walked over there. The whimpering picked up as I reached the middle of the bed, and I turned to see Mei resting on the floor, her head on her paws as she whimpered. A chain was wrapped around her back leg, holding her to the far tent post. Who had done that?

I walked towards the tigress, who lifted her head to look at me. She nudged my shoulder, something she did with Angel to attract her attention. I nodded, as Angel had done, and Mei nudged the bed. I looked where she pointed, seeing something resting there. Well, resting was the wrong word. The person was sweating, a cloth lay forgotten by her neck as she tossed and turned. One of her legs was exposed, showing it was bright red and angry looking. Two dark holes decorated the skin, something I couldn't determine the origin of. I then saw a prosthetic, which made the skin on the thigh turn white. The swelling must be pushing against the prosthetic, I thought as I reached to unhook it. Once that was done, I saw the white colouring fade bit by bit. Had it been cutting off blood circulation for a while now? It must have been acting like a tourniquet at least.

I looked at the girl's face, taking a moment to recognise it as Angel. Her skin looked red with heat, and I touched her forehead to make sure I wasn't imagining it. She was burning up, whimpering from the pain which was echoed by Mei. The tigress wanted to help her mistress, but there was nothing she could do. I spotted a small bucket balanced on a stool with water inside. I picked up the cloth and pushed it down into the water, soaking it through before wringing it out. Once it was cold, I went back to Angel and placed it on her head. She sighed, clearly finding the cloth a comfort before she calmed down her tossing. A hiss sounded somewhere behind me and I turned slowly to see a blue snake on a desk, resting in a glass cage. Mei growled, clearly not impressed to be sharing her room with it.

"I didn't see this one in Snake's tent," I whispered, certain I would have recognised it had it been there.

I looked back at Angel, knowing she would be the same as Mei about the snake's new lodgings. I looked around the cage before spotting a small note.

* * *

17:45 – Angel bitten by ROSE

17:51 – Angel given anti-venom through IV

18:00 – Leg has swollen and become discoloured. Puncture marks are evident on the skin near the prosthetic.

18:30 – Angel has a fever, and her leg is swollen red.

19:10 – Angel's extremities are cold to the touch. She has also begun tossing in an uncomfortable sleep. Further study is required.

* * *

There were no more notes, meaning she had been left here in her tent for over an hour. What if she had died? What if something worse had happened to her? I couldn't understand why they had placed the snake in the cage. Was it to identify the biter? Mei whimpered as her mistress did, and I looked back at Angel. Her eyes were open but it was clear she didn't see anything around her. I sat down beside her and held her hand, feeling the chill run through my skin. An IV was attached to her wrist and it led to a half-empty bag marked as "ROSE". It had to be anti-venom for what had happened to her.

I picked up the cloth to run along her face, leaving droplets of water of her skin. Her breathing was weak, and I hoped it would return to the way it had been. Had someone tried to kill her? Why would they do that? I couldn't see Angel having many friends, but I could only imagine the other troupe members keeping her safe. Her head turned in my direction, breathing out a sigh before closing them. She must be exhausted, and if there was something I could do, I would. I looked to Mei and realised there was something I could do.

Whoever had tied up the tigress, hadn't bothered tidying away Angel's things. It took a bit of searching, but I located the key. Whoever had done this, wouldn't want Mei coming after them. So I unlocked her chain and watched as she licked her foot before looking at me. She nudged my shoulder, before looking at the door. I could hear voices moving closer, and I had a feeling Mei could too. The tigress stood up and walked to the bookcase, lifting up a small bit of the tent for me to crawl under. It looked like a recent thing but I didn't question it as I snuck out. Mei dropped the covering back into place before sitting beside Angel. Before I left the space altogether, I could hear both Mei and Angel whimper.

I located a crate and barrel to hide behind in case some of the first tiers decided to walk along the back of the campsite. Before I dropped to my hunches, I noticed a hole in the crate, as if someone had stood on it and fallen through. I couldn't determine if it was a recent occurrence or not, so I didn't dwell on it. There were more important things to worry about than a crate.

"I'm feeling peckish," a voice stated, sounding closer to me than I was comfortable with.

"Should we go eat?"

"Has anyone been to see Angel recently?"

"She's in good hands for now," Joker insisted, "she has around the clock care."

If the note had anything to say, it was they didn't care too much for Angel or monitoring her situation. I peeked around my cover to see they had gathered in a small group, with no intentions of leaving anytime soon. They would spot me should I attempt to run to the other side. They would also find me here eventually as soon as Freckles became aware of my absence in our tent.

 _I should've stopped sooner. I have to get back without being seen…_

I watched them, waiting for a break in their conversation when I heard something hiss behind me. I turned slowly, seeing the snake from Angel's tent. Its blue body looked cerulean in the night with the white mouth looking almost frosty. It reared its head, ready to strike me. Did Snake only like the aggressive breeds? I couldn't determine anything else, certain I didn't want to share the same fate as Angel this evening.

"Oi," a voice called, "what are you doing there?"

A lantern showed the snake in a different, but no less frightening, light. I looked back to see who was watching me and knew it had to be a first tier member. I recognised her as Doll, though I hadn't seen much of her around the campsite. Some had said she liked to keep to herself, never straying too far from her own tent. I hadn't understood how one could practise like that considering she was the tightrope walker. I noticed she was still wearing her costume, one eye covered by an odd hat shaped like a fluffed wig.

When I got over the fact that I had been caught in a place I shouldn't have been, I tried to figure out which was the worst of this situation. Being caught by Doll was bad, but was it as bad as being bitten by a snake and spending the rest of night like Angel? I didn't get much time to deliberate on the matter when I heard a growl coming from my left. I decided to see what this new threat was, only to be surprised by what I saw. Mei, her body a luminous white in the moonlight, was pacing towards me, her teeth bared. I gulped, certain she was the worst threat of all three of them. I thought I had gotten on her good side once I set her free. Mei stopped a foot from me, her hackles up and she snarled. Her eyes, which I had thought were watching me, were watching the snake named Rose. She leaned down and I saw her claws extend, sharp and deadly. Her tail ran along the ground in quick lines, clearly agitated. Rose reared back to bite me when Mei shot forward, catching the snake off guard. The snake didn't get much of a chance to comprehend what was happening as Mei pushed it into the ground, flattening it into the floor.

Mei lifted one paw and then the other before sniffing the remains of Rose. It now looked like a pancake, nothing left of the snake from the glass cage. Mei pawed at it, checking it was dead before lifting it into her mouth and looking at me. I knew then, she had tried to kill the snake in the tent but had instead released it. She had wanted to avenge her mistress, and the only way she could comprehend how was to kill the thing that had hurt Angel. She was taking the body as proof of what she had done, in case Angel asked or one of the others wondered where the snake had gone. I nodded to Mei who turned back towards the loose spot on the tent to crawl under, disappearing from view. Since two of the three threats were gone, I looked back at Doll to see her extinguish her lantern. We were bathed in moonlight, the crystals by her ear catching the light.

"Doll!" a voice called, one I recognised as Dagger's.

"I'm going to check on Angel, will you get me something to eat?"

"Sure!" Dagger called back before leaving with the others.

"This way," Doll whispered, pointing to the fence before grabbing my arm and pulling me to my feet.

She reached the side of Angel's tent with the peg loose, casting it a glance before looking past it to see if anyone was lingering there. Once she was satisfied no one was there, she dropped to her knees and crawled under the fence. It was wrapped in barbwire, some of which appeared rusted to me. Maybe it wasn't rust…

"Don't touch the rope," she ordered before I crawled under, making sure none of my clothes were ensnared before standing up on the other side.

She caught my hand and along a small pathway which led to the second stringers' tents. She hid me before leaning out to check the walkway I had only been walking along. Did she really think they would be watching for us? I didn't get a chance to ask her, as she stopped looking out and turned her attention towards me.

"Right, we should be clear now," she whispered, though I wasn't so sure. I had been caught by all accounts.

"Why did you help me?" I asked in response, watching as she stepped past me and near a tree.

"You still don't get it?" she asked, ignoring my question, "it's _me_."

She touched her wig and caught the sides of some ribbon before untying it. She pulled it carefully off her head, exposing a mess of cropped brown hair. The same brown hair as my roommate. What was _he_ doing, dressed as a girl?!

"Freckles?!" I replied quickly, my voice raised in alarm.

"Hey, that's not a very nice name to call me!" Doll/Freckles responded, placing the wig under one arm.

"You're a bloke who wears dresses onstage?"

"You're very rude!" she snapped, "I'm a genuine maid, I'll have you know!"

I had not expected this turn of events. It only got worse when she moved closer, leaned forward to catch my hand and held it in hers. I wasn't sure how this could prove she was a girl…until she put my hand on her chest, allowing me to feel her breast through her costume. I felt a shiver run up my spine. This wasn't what I had thought would happen this evening!

"See?" she asked me after a few moments of awkward silence, "want to check down below while you're at it?"

I didn't think I could pull my hand back fast enough, taking a couple of steps away from her to make sure she didn't try anything. Why would I want to do that?

"No thank you!" I answered curtly, not wishing to stay on this subject matter much longer.

"So, what were you doing there?" Doll asked, taking a step closer, "someone must've told you it was dangerous to wander at night. Angel normally does during the tour…"

Angel hadn't been there to give Sebastian or I the tour on or first day. In her place had been Joker, who had warned us about the snakes. I hadn't thought my investigation would come down to this, so I didn't pay much heed to the warning. Hadn't there been mention of anti-venom as well?

I had also thought Sebastian had secured all of the snakes, knotting them and storing them for me to check the tents. But if Doll was standing in front of me, questioning what I was doing…that meant the circus had concluded its show for the night. They had finished their encore, waved the customers goodbye and tidied their equipment up. Sebastian must have let them loose, knowing that I was still searching. I had found enough to come to a few theories…but one thing bothered me the most. Why was Angel in the state she was? Maybe Doll would know the answer…

"Well…" I whispered, having not said a word in about three minutes. I had to come up with an excuse that would cover me wandering through the first stringers' tents.

 _I suppose I'll have to pretend to be a thief…_

"I'm sorry," I said quickly, catching her attention, "but I swear I haven't stolen anything today! I promise! Please don't chase me out!"

"Wait, "today"?!" Freckles questioned, which I hoped meant she believed me. She probably had her own secrets in her tent, ones she didn't want others knowing about. Announcing that I was a thief would worry her no doubt, but I needed her to feel sorry for me. I had to come up with a believable story that would explain my thieving.

"The truth is…I lived in the East End before I became a pageboy, and I got by however I could! I know I shouldn't steal, but I just can't shake old habits! My last master found out…" I dropped to my knees to plead to her, "if the circus turns me out, I'll have to go back to the East End!"

 _I may have laid it on a bit thick…_

I glanced at her from between my hands, making sure I looked scared of what she could do. I wanted her to think there was nowhere else for me. That being offered a place here was all I had. She had to have seen the state of the East End, or at least heard of it from Angel. But I had probably laid it on a touch too thick and made it so unbelievable.

"You swear you didn't take anything?" she asked after a moment of silence.

"Yes! I swear to God!" I answered, hoping that meant she believed me.

"Well, all right," she whispered, running a hand through her hair. She looked a touch confused as to what to do next.

"Thank you so much!" I croaked, hoping it added to my character: the repentant thief.

"It's fine," she replied, "I owe you one anyhow. We've all got our secrets, right? So what I did to you earlier was wrong…so I'll keep this quiet. Now we're even. But no more sneaking about!"

Her words translated to mean I was free this time from being informed on, but if she caught me again (and something told me she would be keeping watch), she would have to do something about it. Whether that meant kicking me out of the circus or getting me arrested, she wasn't completely sure. With what I had gathered in information tonight, I wouldn't need to go looking again. I also wouldn't be staying much longer.

"Right," I answered her, only starting to notice her troubled expression, "is something wrong?"

She looked away from me, towards the tents. I looked back, seeing Mei was at the loose peg, watching me. In her mouth was the crushed snake. Mei dropped the snake and moved under the tent to reach the barrier. She stayed there, her fur on edge and her hackles raised. She looked away from me at Doll, her teeth bared in warning. I was surprised to see such a reaction from the tigress, but this looked threatening. I had a feeling she could jump over the fence and reach us in a few strides, but she was only warning. She snarled, watching Doll the whole time.

"That's odd," I whispered, not sure who I was saying it to.

"Did Angel speak to you…earlier?" Doll asked me, her voice reminding me of a monotone.

"About what?" I asked and Doll looked away from the tiger to look at me.

"I…I bumped into her while I was looking for you. She told me to get ready for my show and that she would find you…and apologise on my behalf. Did she find you?"

It sounded like she wanted to say something else, but had decided against it. I wondered if it had anything to do about Mei or Angel. Her comment did remind me that Sebastian had spotted Angel, and she had overheard us. It explained why she had been there. She had been looking for me, to apologise for Doll soaking me in the showers. It had all been accidental, she hadn't sought us out for our conversation. But what had led to her being the girl now writhing on her bed? I really wanted to know.

"Yeah, she found me. She told me you were sorry."

"I'm glad," Doll whispered, looking relieved.

"Freckles…Doll…" I whispered, and the performer looked to me, "what happened to Angel?"

"What do you mean?"

"While I was…in the tents…I saw her," I whispered, "she didn't look too good."

"Oh," Doll whispered, her mood dropping, "that was Joker's idea."

It was Joker's idea to have her bitten by a snake?!

"He said she was threatening us," Doll continued, "that she only wanted to hurt the circus and the people who worked here. I haven't seen her since this morning…so I don't know what happened."

"She looked to be bitten by a snake," I stated, letting her hear the annoyance in my voice.

"A snake?" Doll asked, looking worried now…but it seemed forced, an act, "Joker didn't mention that."

There was something wrong with her story. I had a feeling she had been there when Angel had been bitten, and was covering it up. I would ask Sebastian to look into it as an aside, before we left anyway. But I needed to keep on Doll's good side.

"Say, can I ask you…if you're a first stringer, why are you sharing my tent?" I asked, hoping it was a good change of subject.

"Well, I don't like staying by myself," Doll replied, "I sleep better when someone's with me. Hey, you'll still room with me even though I'm a first string, won't you?"

"Yes, of course!" I answered, knowing if I said no, it would raise questions as to why.

"Oh, good. Right then, what happened here stays between us," she stated before putting her hand to me.

"Right!" I replied, holding her hand in mine so we could shake on it.

 _Words are cheap. There's no guarantee she won't tell anyone. Humans lie without a second thought. Including me, of course…_

* * *

I stayed behind the tent, watching Doll go. I looked back to the fence to see Mei relax, her eye now on me. I wandered over to see if she considered me a threat, only for her to put her head out to my hand. I was normally allergic to cats, I couldn't comprehend how Mei wasn't setting me off. She purred before backing away, to keep an eye on Angel no doubt. I could hear voices coming from that direction, so I decided I had to leave now.

I turned and ran around the back of the tents until I came out somewhere near the performance tent. No one was about so I kept my head down as I made my way towards the sleeping tents. Tent eight was barren and empty, Doll hadn't returned just yet from getting changed. Next door, a lantern was lit. I pulled the door aside and looked in. Sebastian was folding his coat to sit on a crate while Suit sat on his bed, reading a book. His sheers were near his foot, and he didn't seem to move them. I was starting to feel tired and cold, knowing that if I spoke quickly to Sebastian, I could go home and warm up.

"Young master!" Sebastian said, turning to look at me, his coat forgotten about.

"You knew I was still there when you freed the snakes, didn't you, you bastard?!" I snapped, coughing once I had finished.

"Yes, you did order me to return before the first-stringers and free them. Problem?"

I answered his question with a glare.

"What are you glaring for?" he asked, giving me an amused look, "rest assured, my lord, I won't let you die while our contract holds. But you may encounter some non-fatal suffering if you give the wrong orders. You knew as much. Every game needs its thrill. You're such an avid player, I assumed you shared my opinion."

"Your game is in sickeningly bad taste, demon," I muttered I response.

"You flatter me," he replied, a smile on his lips.

"Never mind," I replied, attempting to get back to the reason why I was here to begin with, "I found a letter in Joker's tent," I moved to lean against a wooden post to rest my feet while I spoke, "that mentioned my name. It had my rank, the location of my estate, and even a biographical sketch. The sender—"

"You there!" Suit snapped before something hit my foot. As a result, I was forced to move away from the place I had been leaning and glared at him.

"Ouch!" I replied, certain I could feel a bruise forming on my foot.

"You're three centimetres into my territory," Suit stated, tapping a line drawn into the dirt to emphasise his point, "if the master can't abide by our agreed-upon boundaries, he's as bad as his dog."

I coughed, covering it with my hands as I stared at that line. I wanted somewhere to relax, my feet were tired and now one was sore. I looked to the demon and sighed, knowing the only privacy we could have would be outside in the cold.

"Sebastian, let's go outside," I said before stepping out into the bitter cold. I was glad I had put on my scarf before this, or it would have been much worse.

"Certainly," Sebastian answered as he followed me.

I brought him to a spot near the tent with supplies, just near the first-tier tents. It was there I chose to lean against the crates and rest my feet for the moment. Sebastian stood near me, watching me adjust myself to something close to comfortable. With the cold air nipping me, the crates leaving marks on my back…there was no way to make this situation comfortable. My chest felt tight and I was beginning to feel exhausted. There was still much I had to tell the demon.

"The sender used the name "Tom the piper's son," I stated, concluding what I had been trying to say inside the tent.

"A Mother Goose character," Sebastian commented and I nodded.

"Yes, though I don't know why," I muttered, "Also, Angel appears to be in some distress."

"How so?"

"She was bitten by a snake, under Joker's suggestion," I stated, "she had been poisoned before the show, and it was mentioned that she wished to destroy the circus and harm the people working here."

"I heard Joker telling the others she wouldn't be able to continue at the circus in any capacity," Sebastian stated, looking curiously at me.

"We'll have to keep an eye on the situation, perhaps find out what Angel knows that the troupe are afraid of," I suggested and the demon nodded, so I returned to the main topic.

"The sealing wax showed a crest with a horse and the initial K," I continued, finding myself shivering.

"Then it's the same as the one I saw," Sebastian stated as I wrapped my arms around my chest to stay warm, "signet rings are generally engraved with a motif and initial that represent the bearer or his family?"

"Yes," I answered.

"Which means this Tom the piper's son has a coat of arms featuring a horse. Would a horse mean someone awarded a knighthood or perhaps a soldier?"

"Not necessarily," I replied, "but philanthropy is probably impossible without a certain degree of status. The heraldic authorities have all coats of arms on their registers. We have enough criteria to narrow it down so that however many they have… _you_ should be able to find the one."

I coughed once more, covering my mouth while I tried to catch a breath between coughs. The air was too cold for October, it was almost like the weather of December. It nipped at any exposed skin it could find, making me feel nauseous and tired. I assumed it was due to the freezing conditions, so I needed to conclude this conversation with Sebastian quickly.

"The missing children, the circus, Tom the piper's son, and me—" I stopped talking to cough, feeling a pain in my chest each time I caught a breath.

"Young master?" Sebastian asked, though he sounded further away than he actually was.

"We'll go back…to the townhouse for…" but I couldn't conclude my sentence.

I dropped to my knees, holding my body forward on my hands so I could get sick. My ears rung, and I started tearing up. The pain in my chest only increased, making it impossible for me to continue talking outside. I saw Sebastian move out of the corner of my eye. He bent down to my level to put a hand along my shoulder, clearly unsure as to what was wrong with me.

"Young master!" he called, and he looked worried, "young master, what's…?"

I pushed myself up, putting one of my hands on his arm and looked directly at him. He faded in and out of focus, which only annoyed me and made me feel sicker. I heard something roar from nearby, but it stopped and the ringing in my ears returned. I could see over Sebastian's shoulder, and beyond that to the walkway. Walking towards our tent, was Doll, dressed as the pauper Freckles.

"Smile! What's wrong? Oi!" Freckles called, running towards me before I lost consciousness.

* * *

When I did wake up, I felt hot and bothered. I was no longer outside, instead, I found myself in a tent. The covering was a dull yellow colour, one exposed to the elements too much over the last few years. The metal posts also seemed to have been used a lot of the years, as some rust had wrapped itself around the joints. Everything else, it seemed fuzzy to me. I could make out three people, each a different height, near me. One had long black hair and appeared to be sitting, another looked to be dressed as a pauper. One was dressed completely in black, which I hoped was Sebastian. How had I ended up in this tent anyway?

"Water…" I croaked, thinking that was something that could be retrieved quickly.

"Ah, you're awake," the black haired man commented.

"Drink this," Sebastian said, putting a small bottle near my lips for me to drink from.

I drank as much as I could before coughing, forcing Sebastian to take the bottle from me before I choked. Would that be considered "non-fatal suffering"?

"Smile, did you have a bad case of asthma as a young boy?" the black-haired man asked me.

His image and the pauper's shift until I could see my mother, Elizabeth and Madam Red. Madam Red was sitting beside me as my mother fretted. I had had an asthma attack, and she had called for my aunt to come see me, since she was a doctor. Elizabeth looked worried, as she had been that day. Near her, watching me with wary brown eyes, was a friend of mine. Her black hair was left loose around a pale pink dress, the front stained. Had I done that to her? Had I gotten sick on her? She gave me a smile, one that told me everything was alright. She took a step closer, dropping to her knees near my stomach to hold my hand tight in hers. She felt so warm, which made me wonder why I was so cold.

 _"_ _People can die from asthma, so even if you think he's better, you have to stay careful," Madam Red said to Mother._

"Aunt An…" I mumbled before closing my eyes to sleep again.

* * *

I woke up again to see the lights in the tent had dimmed considerably. How much time had passed? I hadn't been able to dream, finding it impossible. There was still too much I had to do. I looked to my side as something cool was run along my head, seeing Sebastian was sitting beside me.

"Sebastian…" I whispered, hoping no one would be able to overhear us.

"How is he?" a voice called out, following by the sound of something rolling across the floor.

"He still seems poorly," Sebastian responded.

"I thought as much," the voice stated, "I just remembered that mint oil can help these fits. Angel used to be like him as a child…now, where did I put it?"

I opened one eye to see the man look through a crate. This was our chance to look into the crest. I tapped my bed, hoping to catch Sebastian's attention, once I had succeeded, I motioned for him to come closer and put his hand on the bed. He complied once he knew the man was distracted.

 _"_ _This is an order,"_ I signed for him, _"go to the heraldic authorities and identify the man with the signet ring. The registers are in London and Edinburgh. If I move now, the man will make a fuss. Come fetch me in the morning."_

Sebastian took his hand away once I had finished, catching mine and turning it over.

 _"_ _Yes, my lord,"_ he signed in response.

With that completed, I closed my eyes on Sebastian. But one final thing caught my attention before I fell asleep. The man had stopped searching, moving beyond the bottom of my bed to somewhere on my right. He pulled a curtain aside to see something.

"Angel…you should be better by tomorrow. But, I don't think you'd want to be…"

* * *

 **Hope everyone liked this chapter. I know its been a while since my last one...but I hope this long chapter makes up for it. So Angel was bitten by Rose because Joker heard her talking about the missing children. And Daniel is still alive? Please leave a review to let me know what you think so far :)**


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